Running a busy chiropractic practice likely means you’re already stretched pretty thin.
With patients to treat, records to update, and all of the other time-consuming functions that come with running your own business, the reality is that you have to pick and choose which conferences you’ll attend and which ones you’ll have to put out of mind.
Of course, events related specifically to chiropractic often get priority because they’re the ones most relevant to your day-to-day duties. But if you’ve never attended a conference about cognitive disabilities, then you’re really missing out. In fact, here are three compelling reasons all DCs should make this type of conference a priority—and soon.
Reason No. 1: To better serve patients with cognitive disabilities
Certainly, you’re not expected to be a specialist in regard to disorders outside of the musculoskeletal realm, but the reality is that a large number of your patients likely have cognitive disabilities, too. So, the more you understand about what these disabilities are and the impact they have on your patients, the better you’ll be able to serve them.
For instance, did you know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one out of 10 children have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? And are you aware that autism affects 3.5 million Americans, with the prevalence of this cognitive disability growing 6 to 15 percent annually according to the Autism Society?
Just imagine how you would feel if you had one of these conditions and you went to a healthcare provider who had no idea what it was or, worse, how to interact with you in a way that you could understand. Or what if you were the parent of a child with one of these conditions? Wouldn’t it make you feel better if your DC not only knew about your little one’s condition, but knew how to best handle him or her for a favorable response?
Reason No. 2: To better recognize cognitive disabilities
Have you ever seen a patient with skin discolorations and brought it to their attention, only to have them get a full-body exam and find out they had skin cancer? Or maybe you had a patient complain to you about dizziness and you suggested that he or she see their doctor about their heart, only for them to discover that they needed a bypass or a pacemaker?
By staying attuned to the types of disabilities and conditions that exist, as well as how to recognize them, you’re able to potentially alert your patients when you believe there may be an issue.
This enables them to seek treatment in the earlier stages, before the condition gets to the point where it’s difficult if not impossible to rectify. And it’s all because you took the time to attend a conference to learn about various different conditions that could affect the people you treat.
Reason No. 3: To network with other healthcare providers
There’s an old adage that it’s not what you know, but who you know that makes you a success. And while education and knowledge are definitely important to being a top-quality DC, the reality is that networking is invaluable as you sometimes cross paths with someone who has a profound and lasting effect on your career.
Whenever you go to a conference, whether it’s about cognitive disabilities or anything else, you’re opening yourself up to meet people who could potentially play a huge role in your life.
Who knows? Maybe you’ll meet someone with similar ideas, prompting you to enter into a business together or create some other life-changing situation that dramatically alters your path. And you could potentially miss it all solely because you chose to just stay home instead.
As Rick Fort, psychologist, CereScan Board Member, and CEO of Fort Knocks Company once said about the International Symposium on Cognitive Research and Disabilities: “It is imperative that we achieve a far greater understanding of people with cognitive disabilities: how we diagnose them, how we treat them, how we teach them. This will be an important conference for advancing that cause.”
So now the question is: What will you do to advance the cause? Maybe attending a conference is a great first step.