JJJ Born and raised between Connecticut and Texas. Amelia Case, DC. graduated from National College of Chiropractic in 1990 and, that same year, established her chiropractic practice in downtown Chicago, IL, as the Universal Health Institute. Subsequently, in 1994, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biol- "■ ■ i. from the University of Denver. ! Field & Flight Nurse in the US Army Reserve, Dr. Case speaks four languages, and has lectured before the French Chiropractic Institute, in Paris. France, at the University of Brussels School of Medicine. inBnissels, Belgium, and was among the first learn of chiropractors to lecture at flic American Medical Association Headquarters, in Chicago. Dr. Case is. also, a Team Physician for the World Famous Jesse White Tumbling Team™. In an inten-iew with The American Chiropractor (WC), Dr. Amelia Case answers T AC .V questions for The Millionaire Series about her successful "old-jashioned chiropractic " practice. TAC: Dr. Case, what influenced you to become a chiropractor? Case: I am the oldest of three kids—one sister and one brother who follow me by 2 years and 6 years, respectively. My sister, Suzannah, was riddled with migraine headaches for as long as any of us can remember. In fact, my mother says that Suzannah used to scream as a baby, and that although the pediatricians thought she just had colic. Mom later became convinced that she had migraines even back then—since birth (She was bom in 1963). My sister had a lifetime of headaches. Not just the kind that made her pat her head a little and reach for an aspirin, but the kind that turned her into a drug addict. She took over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, and finally, street drugs, to alter the pain. She was a mess. No one was able to help; just watch, helplessly. In 1981, a neighborhood friend recommended that Mom try taking Suzannah to a chiropractor who practiced in a nearby town. None of us had ever heard anything specific about chiropractic; but we were from a "medical family", so we thought it was, well, kooky. On the other hand, what else was there to do? Not only was Suzannah in severe pain, but she, at almost 18-years-old, had trouble controlling her bladder and never started her menstrual period. She was told that she was amennorheic, and that she would not be able to have kids. She had missed so much school that she was convinced that she was stupid, and she had no self esteem. So, the follow-through on the chiropractic referral was more a matter of desperation than anything else. It gave us something new to try, and that was better than nothing. I remember what the chiropractor said. It seemed suspiciously simple. Yet, even though it seemed odd to me. it made sense to my mother, and that's all that counted! Suzannah started to get chiropractic adjustments. When I say that we never dreamed that she would get better, I mean it. We only hoped for a reduction in the pain, or some new bit of relief. We didn't imagine that there was really a solution. Anyway, the long and short of it is that she doesn't have migraines anymore, and she hasn't since that summer. She stopped having problems with her bladder, got her menstrual period, and now she has two adorable kids, Zak and Eli. She was able to get off of all drugs and finally have a normal life. The impact of her healing experience was vast. My mother stopped being a businesswoman and became a craniosac-ral therapist. I became a chiropractor. And, my brother became a chiropractor, too. It completely changed our lives. My sister is now a massage therapist! TA C: What type of practice do you have? Case: The type of practice I, personally, practice is what I call "old-fashioned chi- ropractic". I love to adjust the spine, touch people, and be part of the community by going the extra mile for the patients whenever I can. I love to study different techniques so that I know my "doctor bag" is full. I am ready for anyone who walks through the door ready for chiropractic Yoda is our mascot because of his undying belief and support of the FORCE. Some patients "get it", others don't. The fun thing is that there is that subconscious support of the innate intelligence of the body in the concept of the FORCE. It's that innate intelligence that we count on to heal the body. The doctors and therapists just act as technicians on how to remove interference to \ the force or -/' how to augment it". care. However, Universal Health Institute is a place where people can come for many types of natural health care. I am the Chief of Staff at UHI, and the institute is set up so that all new patients are seen first by the DC and then sent to the different departments, depending upon what the patient's problem is, or what he is looking for. We focus on low tech, natural solutions to health problems that include chiropractic, soft tissue therapy, physical therapy, nutritional therapy, craniosacral therapy and alternative counseling. We include—peripheral to care—special healing extras like aromatherapy, color therapy and music therapy. The idea is to let people know there are many roads to take on the healing journey, and to expand their limited expectations about health care. Everything we do to and teach to the patients is based on the chiropractic principles of alignment and support of the inborn healing ability of the human body. TA C: How many hours a week do you work? Case: 1 work every day, all the time. There's not much of a difference between my personal and public "life". My husband, Braden, is a great chiropractic advocate. Being a chiropractor is just as much a part of my everyday life as breathing. I do put myself on the time clock—punching in and out of the office for clinical time. I am on the schedule to see patients 28 hours per week. That is adjusting time, consultation and new patient time, as well as examination time. The rest of the time is spent being an executive in the practice. That role is growing. I am spending time learning how to be a better mentor to the other people who work with me, and how to lead our team. I am also spending time learning how to use the procedures that my current consultant, recommends to improve Me efficiency of this kind of practice. The rest of the time I study, write, teach, create manuals, train the staff, speak publicly, and try to learn something new. IA C: What's the income level that you provide annually? Case: It's never been the same. In the last 12 years, this practice has expanded and contracted several times. I've been really fortunate, in my career, to experience the ups and downs of busy-ness and, with it, financial glory and financial defeat. I have gone through periods of being absolutely broke, with vendors knocking at my door, with enough worries to wake me up at night in a panic. I've gone through other periods of having enough prosperity to wonder, "What was I ever worried 1. about?" I wouldn't exchange the ups for the downs. It would be safe to say that, every time I have expanded the practice, I've suffered financially somehow. It's part of breaking through the comfort zone. However, everytime the new expansion is over, there is a new level of prosperity. Right now, Universal Health Institute is growing into that new level of prosperity. \TAC: What techniques do you use? ► Case: I use the technique that the patient • can best tolerate, or that the patient wants, that I love to give. I love a good audible adjustment—the old fashioned type, also love using energy techniques and adgets. I started off with Diversified ad-Rusting (taught in the curriculum at NCC). [While I was still in graduate school, 1 stud-Eied several hundred hours of Applied Ki-ssiology. I would have to say that every-ling has branched off that since then. I had two practical geniuses who started me on a great "technical" path, Drs. Lou Boven and Al Zatkin. JAC: Is there someone to whom you at-ribute your success? Case: The consultants I've had have been outstanding: Dr. Pete Fernandez, Dr. Fred Schoficld, Dr. David Singer, Dr. Jim Gatza, Dr. John DcMartini, Dr. Mark Sanna. 1 had ■ an unusual student-mentor relationship r with a neurosurgeon. Dr. Len Kranzler, here I in Chicago, who allowed me to follow him aund for six years while he did his work. [ learned an enormous amount of information about the living nervous system from him. Also, it was a great help to have a : i I '■.:: > ith another chiropractor—another "beginner", Dr. Steve Arculeo—here in Chicago. We had the chance to learn together and support each other while we went through different phases of our careers. The personal support 1 had from my mother, sister and brother were lifelines when I was scared or in doubt. 1 have to say that there are strange mentors, too. They are the less obvious ones, like the patients and staff who have caused me terrible grief, aggravation, irritation— the IRS, too! They taught me as much as any mentor I consciously chose. The most important thing I would honor as a reason for the success I've experienced is the time I've spent dreaming of what could be. It kept me enthusiastic. If you're enthusiastic, you can get through just about anything. TAC: How many vacations per year do you take? Case: I take about one month to six weeks of vacation per year, usually during the regular holiday times. I don't like to take off more than one week at a time. TAC: Tell us more about your family. Case: I have been married for almost seven years to my husband, Braden. He trades options at the Chicago Options Board, but he is an honorary chiropractor. (We don't have any children, yet; although, right now I am expecting a baby in August.) As I said before, my own family is in the health care field, too. My mother, Cynthia, is a craniosacral therapist. My sister, Suzannah, is a massage therapist. My brother, Dr. Aaron Russak, is a chiropractor in Chattanooga. My father, Larry, is a golfer—a chiropractic patient! TA C: Do you have any hobbies? Case: Snow skiing, languages, reading, writing, classical music, and traveling! TA C: What marketing strategies do you use to attract new patients, and to keep current patients? Case: Marketing strategies in this practice have been 99% internal (referral based). We spend extra time on the new patient visit and report-of-findings visit for two reasons. The first reason is that we want patients to follow-through with care, so we emphasize what is normal and what is abnormal in the person's body, and then we carefully review the goals of the game plan—the person's treatment here. The second reason is that, whenever there is a new patient, we know we have an opportunity to train a "sales force". People want to help other people; but, first, they have to have something to say. We reinforce what they first learn, in subsequent re-exams and consultations. Keeping current patients is always a challenge, because there is so much to distract them. I am a great advocate of getting in their faces! The front desk staff here calls to confirm appointments and to find out where patients are, if they don't show up. If that doesn't work, I call. I spend about one hour per day, everyday, on the phone with patients who have gotten off track. I feel comfortable saying, "What's up? You said that you want to take care of this problem, but you're not here. I can't do adjustments through the airwaves. You need to be here. Now, what's getting in your way?" There has to be an open dialogue with the patients. I have listened to some painful criticism, learned what holds patients back, and learned to confront nonsense. I%t's not Continued on Page 36 Amelia Case's Profile PERSONAL Married to husband, Braden, since 1995.0ne little baby on the way! (Due in August, 2002) Recreation and leisure: Reading, Research, Writing, Travel, Wine, Speaking other languages, Snow Skiing, Finally Learning to Sail!! PRACTICE PARTICULARS One office: Downtown Chicago, 2300 square feet (floor level) two blocks from the John Hancock Center. Practice Hours: Clinical Practice Hours 5 afternoons per week and one morning per week (25 hours) per week; 6 hours/ week planning and meeting with staff; 2 hours per week with "paperwork"; 8 hours/week devoted to marketing strategies. Techniques: Applied Kinesiology, Diversified, Activator, SOT, Thompson Drop. Staff: Dr. Case employs one manager (production and office), three front desk chiropractic assistants, two insurance billing specialists, one medical doctor, one physical therapist, one nutritionist, one other chiropractor, two massage therapists, one craniosacral therapist : mm page 12 easy. Sometimes patients have told me that they don't like the fact that I call. I tell ►them that I don't like having pto call, but I don't like it when they don't come. Listen, lam jin this for the thrill of the re-'suits, not just to be busy or keep the numbers up. If a million different patients came in here every week and I didn't see the results of care, I would just feel like I was cracking backs all day. Jonathan, a patient from last year, shouted at me that I was a "stalker", because he was so mad that I called him a few times, after the staff had already called. I told him that, if he didn't want me to call, he would have to fire me. He didn't want that, either. I was very honest. I wanted to :. figure out how to help him. No one else }. had. I wanted him to give it some time, to not give up. He had reasonably good results—not the best I have seen. But the important thing is that we worked together and he was able to experience some healing, get good health education, and take responsibility and accountability for his body. He continued to come for care until he moved away, and has continued to refer patients, because he knows that he can guarantee dedication and personal attention to the new patient. I AC: Do you enjoy your work? | Case: I've been in practice twelve years. I have enjoyed it and dreaded it. I have laughed and cried from it. I've never experienced such fun—and such misery. The point is that life is a full spectrum light; you get it all. In practice, you get it all in high concentration. There isn't one area of your life that isn't challenged. Wow! It is a tremendous opportunity to self-actualize. All I can say is that I love it. I can't imagine doing anything else. I feel so fortunate to have so much opportunity and so many challenges. What is life without battle stories to tell? TA C: Any advice for readers about setting up and maintaining a practice like yours in today's health care system? Case: I have three pieces of advice: Number One. Always have a consultant. Always. Choose the consultant and then dig in. Learn what you can from that group or person. Don't be afraid to change consultants, either. Keep your life spicy, with the different flavors that different consultants can bring to your practice. Number Two. Make your treatment plans according to what the patient needs, not what the insurance company allows. Then, tell the patient what he needs and let him pay for the rest himself. Don't abandon your patients because of insurance limitations. You'll be surprised what a patient will pay for a great doctor who cares and is attentive to the end product. A health problem and a financial problem are each problems, but they are not the same problem. Each one can be solved. I guarantee it. Number Three. Make sure you and your staff are saying what you want to say. Don't let anyone "wing it" with dialogue. Follow Walt Disney's example and create a great dialogue with patients. You can anticipate what they will say, ask and wonder. Take the time to prepare the answer that is really a high quality answer that most expresses your practice. TAC: Do you have any final words for our readers? Case: You never know how far something you say or do may travel to affect someone else. Since I have been in practice, there are fifteen people who have either worked for or been patients at the practice who are now in or finished with chiropractic school. It all started with a neighbor who "butted in" to my mother's business and recommended that she try taking my sister to a chiropractor. If he had never said anything, where would we all be now? Everything you teach has the ability to affect generations of people, not just the one you're talking to. My final words of advice are, "Talk! Take chances. Tell people about what you do and that it may be able to help them—even to change their lives." You may contact Dr. Case by e-mail at DrCaseUHKcv.aol.com. or by calling hej" office at (312) 266-9090.1
