Issue 8 - June 2004

Expand your practice with occupational testing
By W. Trent Saxton, DC

Many chiropractic doctors limit their practice potential to muscles, tendons and joints. But chiropractors who would like to expand their practice without dealing with insurance reimbursements may be ignoring an excellent avenue — occupational healthcare testing.

Occupational healthcare testing — which requires some investment in equipment, training and certification — not only allows you to provide a needed service, it also provides additional income without insurance billing and CPT codes. Payment is done at time of service. And it often results more patient visits.

Opportunities exist to do several different types of occupational testing, especially for employees in safety-sensitive jobs.

Generally, testing requires an investment in equipment and training. Some types of testing include:

• Breath alcohol testing (BAT). The potential market for BAT testing is huge. Every year a number of the approximately 7 million U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) class “A” and class “B” truck drivers are required to undergo drug and alcohol tests. In my area, BAT was conducted in only a few places, mostly hospitals.

BAT requires purchasing an evidentiary breath-testing device (EBT) and two days of training.

• Drug testing. The DOT market (companies that employ CDL truckers) presents another opportunity — drug testing. With some additional training, it is possible to set up your clinic as a urinalysis collection site.

• CDL physical examinations. In California and in many states across the nation, truck drivers are required to undergo a physical examination every four years. Conducting these exams is a natural extension of the other testing services provided to businesses.

• Spirometry testing. Spirometry is mandated for firefighters, welders and others. Conducting spirometry testing requires investing in OSHA/NIOSH-certified spirometry equipment and getting appropriate training.

• Dynamic lifting tests. These tests evaluate functional capacity for repetitive lifting and are useful for companies whose workers are prone to back injury.

• Audiometric testing. This type of testing requires special equipment and training. Employees in certain types of jobs with exposure to noise are required to have baseline and annual testing.

Assuming that occupational testing is within the scope of your license, to get started in this area:

• Identify the market in your area. Become familiar with companies and jobs in your area. Ask to visit plants; talk with plant managers and human resources managers.

• Start small. Decide the testing area that best fits your practice and your locale.

• Get trained. Any type of testing requires training in methodology and (if appropriate) federal regulations and protocols.

• Purchase needed equipment. And master its use.

• Call on area businesses. Introduce your services.

• Provide high quality service, with fast turnaround. One way to make yours the preferred service is to have fast turnaround.

Entering into occupational testing does not preclude you from the more traditional roles of chiropractic. In fact, it may enhance your practice, since many employees who come to your office may become your patients. After providing the employers with their OSHA mandated testing needs, you could become the one-stop shop for the employer and employees injury needs.

W. Trent Saxton, DC, is the founder of Drugfree U.S.A., a consortium of chiropractic practices that provides random collection services and the necessary government reporting for safety-sensitive employees and their companies. He can be contacted at 800-557-1545 or through his Web site, www.drugfreeusa.com.