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5 new patient funnels to drive your promotional calendar
Marketing Matters Every chiropractor needs a predictable and scalable way to increase their new patient load. Predictability means it will work every month and scalability means not trading precious time for “new patient leads” by doing screenings or attending business mixers. Many chiropractors have a promotional calendar of internal events such as Patient Appreciation Day, an in- office food drive, and even sweepstakes for those who refer. A multi-modal approach to pain mechanisms
Clinical Concerns Pain is one of the most frequent reasons for which people seek clinical care, yet the specialty of pain medicine and our understanding of pain mechanisms remains in its infancy. It is well known that there are different pain mechanisms, but this knowledge does not always translate into our approach to pain control. It is well known that there are different pain mechanisms, but this knowledge does not always translate into our approach to pain control. Compliant coding: How to face one of your biggest challenges
Feature Coding compliance is an important issue for chiropractors today, with Medicare and other payers cracking down on fraudulent and non-compliant coding practices. As a result, chiropractic offices are facing increased scrutiny as many practices struggle to stay compliant and avoid violations. The environment that chiropractors practice in has certainly changed. More than a few doctors have committed fraudulent billing, bringing negative attention to chiropractic care. How to make the most of your margin of opportunity
Personal Growth The MOO factor is about the “margin of opportunity” that exists between where you are today and where you can be. It’s about the time you have left to accomplish your goals and fulfill your dreams. It’s your chance to win. You have short-term MOO of one day, one week, and one month, to longer-term MOO of months, years and a legacy. This is your time to be your best and maximize your potential. This period of time and what you accomplish in it is all about you and how you show up every day. Running pain: Looking at the feet for common injuries
Clinical Concerns Running hurts. Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, iliotibial band syndrome, patellofemoral pain syndrome, medial tibial stress syndrome, metatarsalgia—some estimates put the number of runners who are sidelined by these injuries annually at 90 percent. A 2015 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that runners who avoided injury were those who landed lightest on their feet, sustaining the lowest levels of impact loading. The National: Scenes from the world's largest chiropractic event
In Focus This year, in Orlando, Florida, The National by FCA drew some 3,000 attendees and more than 270 companies and 432 exhibits to the world’s largest chiropractic event. Held on August 16–19 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, over 80 notable and international speakers represented the industry, covering national and international issues, and examining solutions, techniques, neurology science, sports, laser therapy, women’s health, pediatrics and more. Why all students should shadow a DC
Student DCAs I am writing this, I have a little kink in my neck. The cause? A student adjusted me the other day. I always have some students or interns—or both—hanging around the clinic. I never say no to a student who wants to shadow or intern with me. Does it help my practice? No, it’s more of a distraction than a help, as even unpaid interns end up causing more work than they save. One summer intern took down our internet access for a day. Why sleep quality matters in the healing process
Wellness Approach While the body sleeps, it heals. Injuries and illnesses all improve when the body gets adequate sleep; so do chronic conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. Research shows that most of the healing takes place during Stage 2 and Stage 3 sleep, when sleep is deepest and without dreams. During Stage 3 sleep, healing hormones such as human growth hormone are released and the production of stress hormones, such as cortisol, is inhibited. Why you need to understanding the basics of coding
Coding Keys If you ask most chiropractors how confident they are in their coding practices, you will hear a variety of responses depending on how many services a doctor provides. Even then, it can be a guess. This is a big problem, considering that how you are coding claims can make or break your compliance efforts. In addition, if all the required elements of Evaluation & Management (E/M), Chiropractic Manipulative Treatment (CMT), therapies, and documentation are not met, it may raise a red flag for audits and result in the payer recouping funds from your office. Who needs that? Your leadership communication skills can motivate employees
Practice Central You’ve probably traversed at least one intersection where you’re unsure how people navigate it safely. Most of the people make it through, sometimes there’s a bump or two, and sometimes you pray for safety and then are grateful for PIP insurance. In a figurative sense, those same intersections exist in your practice. You might not be sure how people do it. You might not be sure how to navigate through the place where your message got misunderstood, when it seemed so clear to you. 