ISSUE #12, 2008

Editor's Message

Northward Bound

I remember the day the world shrank. It was July 23, 1962, when the first live trans-Atlantic television images were transmitted through a communication satellite called Telstar. … Read More



Letters to the Editor

Aesthetics catches readers’ eyes

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Cover Story

Bringing the Midas touch to Beijing

The chance to serve one’s country on the world’s largest international stage, even in a supporting role, represents a pinnacle of sorts in the world of chiropractic. For six DCs who will travel 5,000 miles or more to serve their countries’ athletes at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity … sort of. … Read More



Practice Management

9 steps to picking the right PEO

Every business that has employees on its payroll has a human-resources (HR) function. For small businesses, providing adequate HR — which at a minimum addresses proper pay, withholding taxes, and benefits administration — can be complicated and time-consuming. … Read More



The accidental saboteur - 3 small ‘sins’ that undermine your business in a big way

Whether you are a leader or an employee, you want your business to succeed. After all, your livelihood depends on it. But the vast majority of companies — even vibrant organizations that operate with little noticeable dysfunction — are filled with saboteurs. That’s right. Employees at every level do small, seemingly insignificant things to sabotage their success. … Read More



PRACTICAL DOCUMENTATION: The P.A.R.T. Process

One of the biggest challenges chiropractors have is the clear understanding of the documentation requirements to show medical necessity for routine visits. Medicare’s P.A.R.T. — Pain, Asymmetry, Range-of-motion abnormality, and Tissue-tone changes — guidelines are a good example of what can be used for all documentation in the practice. … Read More



CHIRO BIZ QUIZ: Physical therapy and Medicare

Are you currently considering adding a physical therapist (PT) to your practice, or are you seeing Medicare patients in an integrated practice that incorporates a PT? If so, there are important policies and procedures the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has adopted for therapy reimbursement you should be aware of. … Read More



Team Tips: Organize you practice

Time is probably one of the most frequently used words in any office. “What time would you prefer?” “What time is your appointment?” “What time did he arrive?” and “Was the patient on time?” … Read More



Wellness

Remember to Breathe

Doctors need to practice what they preach to their patients. One easy, but important, exercise that allows you (and your patients) to reframe yourself is breath work. Everyone takes breathing for granted — until an event, such as a respiratory-tract infection, asthma, giving birth, exercising, or being under great stress, causes them to be unable to catch their breath. Then, breathing comes back into their awareness. … Read More



Personal Development

Master your “to do” list

To do or not to do? It’s a classic time-management question. Your ability to select the most important task, start it, and get it done quickly and well has more of an impact on your success than perhaps anything else. … Read More



PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP: 5 ways to hire good, long-term employees

Hiring is a tricky process. Finding the right person for the job can be a complicated gamble. Many job candidates go to “interview school.” They have the answers to all of the common questions, such as “What are your weaknesses?” and “Why did you leave your previous job?” You have to look deeper than these typical questions. … Read More



Liability Management

Case in Point: A patient’s refusal of x-ray's

A 48-year-old male came into his chiropractor’s office with acute back pain localized to the spinal region and surrounding tissues in the upper lumbar region. … Read More



Ask the Attorney: Violations of business-associate agreements

My billing company is owned by an accountant. I was notified by some patients that they received marketing pieces from this accountant soliciting their tax business. I checked with other patients and apparently they have all received such solicitations from the accountant. Am I in trouble under HIPAA? … Read More



StudentDC.com

Starting up in Canada

Since many students in Canada and the U.S. have asked us about opening a practice in Canada, we researched the topic and wanted to share the resources we found. Whether expanding a current practice or you’ve dreamed of living and practicing in Vancouver, here are a number of resources for you to check as you consider starting a practice in Canada. … Read More