Grow your new chiropractic practice with alternative forms of care

One reason big box stores are so popular is convenience. Consumers can go to just one place — whether online or in person — and purchase more of the goods they want, negating the need to shop at several individual stores. New practitioners take advantage of this same principle (and grow their practice) by offering a variety of modalities beyond chiropractic care.

Benefits of a multi-modality approach

Utilizing numerous treatment modalities is akin to placing firefighters all around a structure fire. When you attack the fire from multiple directions, you have a greater likelihood of getting it under control easier and faster. This keeps the flames from spreading into other areas, saving the building from becoming a total loss.

Giving patients access to a multi-modality approach serves the same purpose. They are able to “attack” their condition in a variety of ways, hopefully improving their outcomes.

For example, back pain is a primary reason for seeking chiropractic. Research also connects diet-induced inflammation with chronic low-back pain. So, offering dietary advice and/or supplements may help patients further reduce pain in this area. Other studies have found that meditation can improve pain-related treatment outcomes, making this another complementary approach that stands to offer positive effects.

Alternative forms of care to consider

If you’re unsure what other modalities to offer in your new chiropractic practice, the first step is to learn your options.

Johns Hopkins Medicine breaks complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) down into six basic categories or types:

• body-based modalities, which include chiropractic but also massage, Tai Chi and yoga
• traditional alternative medicine modalities such as acupuncture, homeopathy, and Chinese or Oriental medicine
• dietary modalities such as supplements, nutritional approaches and herbal medicine
• external energy modalities, some of which include electromagnetic therapy, Reiki and qigong
• mind-based modalities like meditation, hypnosis and biofeedback
• sense-based modalities such as art therapy, visualization and guided imagery

All these modalities can work hand in hand with chiropractic, potentially offering patients even better results for the issues that ail them.

Most common modalities offered

Chiropractic Economics’ 2023 Annual Salary & Expense Survey provides insight into some of the most common alternative modalities, not including chiropractic adjustments, offered by chiropractic professionals today.

According to the responses received, these modalities are:

• instrument adjusting (59%)
• electrotherapy (47%)
• exercise programs (47%)
• nutrition (42%)
• massage therapy (41%)
• physical therapy and/or rehabilitation (37%)

Other modalities offered, though to a lesser extent, are decompression, laser therapy, massage, acupuncture, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), weight-loss programs, homeopathy, medical services and others.

Complementary health approaches recommended most often

Before selecting which additional modalities you’ll provide in your office, it also helps to know which ones physicians may recommend to their patients more frequently. This helps you align your practice with the modalities that may be more likely to be sought by patients in your area.

A 2020 article in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine sought to determine exactly what the most-advised complementary modalities may be. It found that massage therapy was recommended most often by U.S. physicians at 30.4%. Chiropractic was next at 27.1%, followed by herbs and other non-vitamin supplements (26.5%), yoga (25.6%), and acupuncture (22.4%).

How to offer numerous treatment modalities

Providing patients with access to more health-enhancing or treatment-based options can be accomplished in a couple of different ways. The first is to expand your services as a chiropractic practitioner, such as by learning more about which nutritional supplements and dietary patterns are best for improving health and wellness. You can then offer these types of products and eating plans to your patients.

A second option to is hire other health care professionals to provide complementary services within your practice. Bring a massage therapist or acupuncturist on staff, for example, and give them a dedicated treatment room in your office where they can work on patients.

A third strategy is to create a strong referral network. Make an agreement with other local CAM professionals to refer your patients and clients to each other when doing so can provide them additional benefits. This enables you both to grow your businesses while giving the people you serve easier access to additional health and wellness services.

Yet another option is to provide patients with access to complementary modalities at other locations at a reduced cost. Ask local CAM providers if they will give a discount to your patients upon being referred by you or your staff. This can help you become the “big box” treatment provider who offers your patients greater convenience via a one-stop-shop type of health care experience.

 

CHRISTINA DEBUSK is a writer for Chiropractic Economics.