A ll doctors want more patients, better results, more referrals, higher income, and more respect and recognition within the community. Many don't know they already have the key to all of that right in their offices. Making your office staff part of your healing team is an integral part of the solution. The second part is recognizing that you really only treat one condition and as soon as you find the cause of that condition, then the treatment will be obvious and all of those previously mentioned desires will follow. You only treat one condition: stress The most common cause of fatigue and exhaustion is stress. Wouldn't it be helpful if we could specialize in treating that one condition? Recently, I visited my primary care MD for my annual check-up. I was greeted at the reception desk and after a short wait, a nurse took me back to a treatment room. I was put on a scale and both my height and weight were recorded. Next, my blood pressure and pulse were taken and recorded. Then she sat in front of a computer, pulled up my file, and asked what changes had occurred since my last visit and if I had any new problems to tell the doctor. The nurse then left and said the doctor would be right in to see me, and he was. He looked atthe computerfile, chatted with me briefly, listened to my heart and lungs, and suggested I return in a year unless I had any new symptoms. My point is that although the doctor is the acknowledged expert, the assistant spent more time, asked more questions, and gathered more information. She learned more about my family, children, and grandchildren than the doctor did. That is also true in your office, although your assistants may not have as prominent of a role in your office procedures. Nevertheless, they know more about your patients and their lives than you do. Why don't your patients know you treat stress? I know you do not have a medical practice, but it is still important to ask a few key questions. Are you using your staff to their fullest potential? Does your staff check each patient's blood pressure and pulse every visit? When they escort the patient to a treatment room, do they inquire about progress, new symptoms, or questions? I suggest that they should do these things, and after recording any new developments, simply state, "The doctor will be right in to evaluate your new developments and answer any questions." So, on a follow-up visit when there are no new developments, you can check for progress and continue with your treatment plan. However, when there are new developments or questions, you can, and should, perform a very brief structural stress evaluation. This takes about one minute, maybe two at the most, and can reveal a hitherto cause or problem that may have developed as the patient's body responded to chiropractic treatment. What would your practice be like if they did? The assistant should invite patients to discuss their problems and make concise notes that are included in the patients' files. The patients should be reassured concerning office procedures, examinations, and interviews with the doctor. In addition, a capable assistant will be able to increase the doctor's patient base by encouraging patients to recommend the doctor to friends and relatives with health problems. In many cases, a patient's concerns can be answered prior to consultation with the doctor. Office personnel should also have a working knowledge of the various ancillary procedures offered in your office. An assistant should be able to explain the testing and/or treatment methods a patient might expect. Patients are often confused about why a particular procedure has been recommended. This knowledge is also useful during conversations about health problems unrelated to the chief complaint or concerning friends and relations of the patient. Stress happens between visits The most common symptoms encountered in practice are fatigue and exhaustion. Nobody goes directly from health to disease. There is a large gray area between the two extremes and health is much more than the absence of symptoms. Our goal should not be to treat disease, but to prevent it. How do you accomplish that if you aren't looking out for new developments? Your staff should know when a chiropractic stress evaluation is needed. They can inform the patient that there is no additional charge for this quick and convenient spot check for the cause of "new" stress. The assistant escorts the patient to a treatment room and seats the patient comfortably on an exam/treatment table. When the doctor enters the room, he or she performs the one-minute stress screening. The next step for the patient's treatment depends on the problem the doctor identifies. If you would like more information on this procedure and how you can have your staff trained to recognize and recommend this procedure, please call the Loomis Institute at 800-662-2630 and ask to speak to Dr. Frerking, Director of Clinical Sciences. You will be asked to provide your license number and contact information in order to obtain his phone number. Dr. Howard Loomis has an extensive background in enzymes and enzyme supplements. He is the founder and president of Enzyme Formulations®, Inc. His knowledge of physiology, biochemistry, and enzymology has made him a sought-after speaker and a prolific writer. Dr. Loomis published ENZY\ 1ES: The Key to Health in 1999. Contact info: 6421 Enterprise Lane, Madison, WI53719, [email protected]
