Issue 14 - October 2004

Answering your questions about anti-aging care
By Dallas Humble, DC

What is anti-aging care? What does the term mean and how would you implement it within the confines of your clinic? These are real questions that affect healthcare professionals who understand the wants of the Baby-Boomer generation and are frustrated with the reimbursement model of healthcare practice.

Here are some of the questions and answers you may have been wondering about:

QWhat is anti-aging care?
This is healthcare that helps patients look younger, feel younger and live longer. It can take on many different forms and be as diversified — or as simple — as you like, focusing on eliminating specific age-related diseases.

QWhy is anti-aging an attractive alternative for a chiropractor?
Anti-aging therapy is not normally reimbursed by insurance companies. However, people pay for what they want, not necessarily what they need. Most of the “can’t afford mentality” is based on priority, not affordability. Vanity appeals to the “want factor,” which, in turn, translates to people willing to pay regardless of insurance coverage. And they want to look good, feel good and live longer. So they are willing to pay cash.

When you incorporate anti-aging into your clinic, you essentially transition from being a clinic that relies on insurance and accepts cash to a cash-basis clinic that accepts insurance.

QIs an MD or DO necessary?
Some forms of anti-aging care go beyond the parameters of your license and require you to become associated with an MD or DO. You can do this through referral but, if you want to create a self-contained anti-aging clinic and your state laws allow it, you need to have qualified medical professionals on your staff.

QWhat types of anti-aging services could I offer?
Obviously, you would continue to offer chiropractic care. But you can also offer nutrition (counseling and sale of supplements), weight-loss (actually, inch-loss) therapies and lifestyle programs (such as exercise programs and integrated weight-control/exercise programs). You can do all of these things without adding or affiliating with a medical doctor. If you decided to expand into an integrated healthcare facility and affiliate with an MD or DO, you would be able to offer cosmetic services, IV chelation therapy and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

QHow do I get into anti-aging?
First, change your mindset: Stop beating yourself up over the “whys” and begin accepting the facts of the changing face of healthcare.

Once you have made a decision to do it, find a doctor who meets your standards of care. Be sure you follow all legal ramifications associated with working with another discipline in your state.

After you have done these things, talk with someone who is doing it successfully and learn what works and what doesn’t work. Don’t try to re-invent the wheel.

Get training. You and your doctor have to be trained in these proced-ures (some require certification).

Brand yourself as an anti-aging clinic. Market your services consistently so that the public knows where to turn for anti-aging care.

QDo I need to take on all aspects of anti-aging care at one time?
No. When I first started our facility, I began with only one part-time service and grew from there.

QWhat type of MD or DO would be interested in this type of practice model?
One who is interested in a change of mindset from traditional medicine to one that doesn’t require after-hours calls, hospital calls and constant insurance hassles to get paid.

The key is finding one that meets your standards of care and has a philosophy similar to yours.

QDoes location of the clinic matter?
Yes. You want this type of practice to be located within an area that is growing and appeals to upper middle- to upper-class people.

Anti-aging care is not for everybody. It is for the entrepreneur who is interested in escaping the chains of the insurance industry and can see the opportunities that changing demographics offer. Never before has the opportunity of anti-aging been so great as it is today. The next decade is filled with opportunities and in the field of health care this one is at the top of the list.

Dr. Dallas Humble is the president and founder of Dallas Humble, Inc., a nationwide consulting firm aimed at personal and professional development. For more information call 800-292-1947, e-mail info@dallashumble.com or visit www.dallashumble.com. He also co- authored Young, Fit, Slim and Sexy. For more information visit www.youngslim.com or call 866-Young-00.