A fter attending the University of South Florida, Chris /I McKenney, D.C., graduated from Life Chiropractic -Z -M. College in December of 1983, and set up practice in Belleview, Florida, in 1984. Today, that practice has grown into a 5,000 square foot facility, accommodating Dr. McKenney, two associate chiropractors, and eight other staff members. In an interview with The American Chiropractor (TA C), Dr. Chris McKenney answers TAC 's questions for The Millionaire Series about his successful subluxation-based practice, where "the goal is to make each and every patient feel like a family member." TAC: Dr. McKenney, what influenced you to become a chiropractor? McKenney: While in undergraduate school, I was doing construction work and fell from a scaffold, injuring my left hip. I went to see various orthopedics and neurologists, who advised me that, by the time I was thirty, I would have a degenerated hip joint and would no longer be able to compete in athletics. At that point, I went to a friend of our family who was a chiropractor and, within a three-week period, symptoms were totally alleviated, after well over a year of intense hip pain. It was then I decided that chiropractic is what I would like to do for the rest of my life. TA C: What type of practice do you have? McKenney: Our practice is a subluxation-based practice. We have a combination of third party pay, cash based, some PIP and very little work comp. It is a family-type practice, treating patients from infants up through geriatric patients. We feel all patients should be thoroughly educated about the benefits of chiropractic care so that they will make the decision for a lifetime of chiropractic, rather than utilizing chiropractic for pain relief only. It is our goal everyday in our office to make each and every patient feel like a family member. We strive to have high energy at all times at the front desk and in the reception area, so that the patient's visit at the office is not just for an adjustment of the body but, also, a mental adjustment. TAC: How many hours a week do you work? McKenney: I, personally, work thirty-two hours a week. The office, however, is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 A.M. until 6:00 P.M. TA C: What is the average monthly service level you provide? McKenney: We average one hundred new patients per month, along with 625-to-650 visits on a weekly basis, with three doctors. Our office patient visit average runs around thirty. My personal PVA runs around forty-six visits. TAC: What techniques do you use? McKenney: In our office, we currently utilize several techniques among our three doctors, including Gonstead, Diversified, Thompson, Cox and Activator. TA C: Is there someone to whom you attribute your success? Any mentors? McKenney: I attribute much of my personal success to my father and my mother, who instilled in me a strong work ethic, and a sense of honesty and integrity. I also attribute much of my success directly to my wife, who has always been by my side and a part of the office from the day we opened our clinic eighteen years ago. She still works in the office, running the business aspect of the practice. As far as management of the practice, I attribute our success to Gibson Management, which is run by Dr. Chuck Gibson and Dr. Jay Morgan. Gibson Management continually shares their knowledge and expertise of chiropractic and patient management, and promotes the philosophy of chiropractic and the subluxation. As far as mentors go, I would say my primary mentor in chiropractic would have to have been B. J. Palmer. Even though I never had the opportunity to meet Dr. Palmer, I have read the majority of his writings, and find it unbelievably inspiring how he stuck to his ideals and his principals, seeming never to sway from them. In today's society, it is easy for us to get away from our philosophies due to constant bombardment from outside sources, such as attorneys, insurance companies and other healthcare groups. TAC: Which seminars do you attend? And are you a member of any professional associations? McKenney: I am a member of the FCA, ICA, and AC A. Through the years, I have attended various post graduate educational seminars on orthopedics, neurology and radiology, along with various technique seminars, including Cox and Thompson. TAC: How many vacations per year do you take? McKenney: I take one week off in January and then take the entire month of June off to spend with my wife and two daughters in the Bahamas. 7MC:Tell us more about your family. McKenney: 1 have been married to my wife, Debbie, for the past 25 years. We have two daughters, Brittney, 19, and Ashley, 16, who both are planning to become chiropractors. Our children have been raised with the chiropractic prin- ciples, and we maintain a strong family relationship. TAC: Do you have any hobbies? McKenney: Offshore fishing and hunting. TAC: What marketing strategies do you use to attract new patients, and to keep current patients? McKenney: We use various marketing tools. I lay out my marketing for an entire year at a time. We do spinal screenings throughout the community, along with various types of mailers, including gift certificates and health passes to our current patients. We also use a management software system called "Chiro Office", which is part of Life Systems. The software system definitely helps in tracking new patients and where they come from, so we utilize our advertising dollars wisely. Also, it helps in tracking our recall patients when patients tend to drop out. We have a six-month recall system, whereby all patients who have not been in the office in that period of time receive a letter discussing the importance of their treatment. We also utilize the Gibson procedures for retaining current patients, which include making sure the patients are pre-scheduled on a multi appointment calendar, and making sure all financial arrangements are made for the patient up front, so there are no questions about payment in the office. 1 also feel it is very important to give a thorough report of findings of the patient's condition and recommended treatment, as well as periodic re-examinations (every three-to-four weeks) and, then, re-reports to discuss with the patients their status and what else needs to be done at that point. Another very important procedure in our office is health care classes. Health care classes are done on Monday nights. All new patients are required to attend the health care class, at which time we discuss do's and don'ts. and the meat and potatoes about chiropractic. This is also where we start getting the patient oriented toward organic chiropractic, not just musculoskeletal things. Finally, all our patients are called the night of their first adjustment to see how they are doing and discuss certain activities they can do at home to help with their condition. In addition, we call all patients on the day of their birthday, which we do by generating a computer printout every morning of the patients in our practice having birthdays on that particular day. The doctor who is treating them calls the patient. I feel this is very important, due to the fact that many times these patients never hear a "Happy Birthday" from anybody, except in our office. TAC: Do you enjoy your work? How do you feel about going to work in the morning? McKenney: 1 can honestly say I cannot imagine doing anything other than being a chiropractor. On a daily basis, miracles happen in chiropractors' offices around the country. The problem is they seem normal to us. whereas these are life- Dr. Chris McKenney's PROFILE PERSONAL: Married to wife, Debbie for 25 years; 2 daughters: Brittany, 19, and Ashley, 16. Recreation and Leisure: Hunting and offshore fishing. Professional Affiliations: Florida Chiropractic Assoc, American Chiropractors Assoc, International Chiropractors Assoc. Vacations: A month in the Bahamas with his family each year, and 1 week off in January. PRACTICE PARTICULARS Clinic: 5000 sq. ft. facility. Techniques: Gonstead, Diversified, Thompson, Cox and Activator. Staff: Dr. McKenny's office employs 2 Associate DCs, and 8 other staff members (2 front desk, 2 insurance, 1 therapist, 1 office manager, 1 exam/x-ray tech, 1 part time clerical). changing occurrences for the patients we treat. It's so easy to concentrate on a few negatives we deal with throughout the day, instead of the 99% positives that occur. Like anybody else, I have days that I think I would rather be fishing; but, the vast majority of the time, my work becomes my play throughout the day. TAC: Having a family-type practice, what is your advice to our readers about setting up and maintaining such a practice in today's health care system? McKenney: One of the first things that I tell many of the young doctors that I interview for positions here or meet at various seminars or functions is that they should strongly consider a good ethical management firm. There are a lot of very good practice management firms out there that will help the new doctor sidestep a lot of the pitfalls on the way to building a successful practice. Also, keeping a low overhead as you start is very important for having a cash flow in the practice. Another aspect I feel is very important is having a diverse practice in today's health care system. I know it's nice to have the financial rewards of a large PI practice; however, the way laws change on a daily basis, these types of practices could be hurt financially overnight—whereas, if you diversify your practice a little bit, if one part of your practice disappears, you still have the other parts to fall back on. I also feel it is very important to have a highly trained and highly motivated staff. My wife and I are blessed to have the group that we work with in our office on a daily basis. Many of our staff members have been with us several years and have become as much family as they are employees. We also do things together throughout the year, such as various seminars for educational purposes. Also, once a year, I take the entire staff and their spouses on a cruise to the Bahamas. I feel this develops camaraderie among the staff and also a sense of achievement in the practice. TAC: Do you offer any types of services or products other than traditional chiropractic care in your clinic, to further help your patients as well as bring in additional revenue? McKenney: Yes, we do have a complete physiotherapy suite that includes inter-ferential, intersegmental traction, heat and ice. We also use support cervical and lumbar pillows, along with orthotics and nutritional supplements. However, we do maintain a strong commitment to the chiropractic adjustment's being first in the office, and all other ancillary procedures are only to enhance the adjustment. The patients are powerfully educated on this. TAC: Do you have any final words for our readers? McKenney: Being in practice since 1983, I have seen a lot of changes through the years, from the Golden Age of Insurance to the dwindling incomes of many doctors that have been hammered by the HMO and PPO programs. I feel it is very important to keep yourself diversified and open to all avenues of practice. Many young doctors today are looking at the multi disciplinary aspect of practice, which, if done properly—by keeping chiropractic at the forefront—could be a very viable way to go. I feel, personally, after this many years in practice, that this is something I would not be interested in doing. I You may contact Dr. Chris McKenney by calling 352-245-8955. Dr. McKenney's Tool Kit X-ray equipment: Bennet 300/125—we use full spine x-rays Tables: Zenith, Chattanooga Therapy: Three Spinalators, Dynatronics EMS Units (Seven bays) Nutrition: Nutri-west ( omputer Software: Life Systems' Chiroplus
