Dr. David Fletcher's practice exemplifies the concept of wellness chiropractic. From his earliest office in rural Alberta, Canada, to his current Toronto office, he has created the template for a high volume, low overhead, subluxa-tion-hased. cash practice. Besides operating this busy practice. Dr. Fletcher is co-founder of DC Coach and Velocity Europe. Together with his partners. Dr. Patrick Gentempo and Dr. Michael Gandolfi, doctors on either side of the Atlantic are mastering the skills that balance practice success with personal excellence. Dr. Fletcher is married and has three young children. In an interview with The American Chiropractor (TAC). Dr. David S. Fletcher (DSF) gives us a close-up look at his subluxation-based, cash practice. TAC: Dr. Fletcher, tell us how you developed your wellness-based practice. DSF: From my first days in practice, I envisioned hundreds and thousands of people being attracted to my message of chiropractic. Of course, as a young graduate. I had to learn what chiropractic really meant, and how incredibly effective it was. For the past 20 years. I have been on a personal quest to master my craft and develop communication styles to convey the story. What I have learned is that healing is a state of increased efficiency and organization. I apply these principles in running the practice. I have created a model of practice and patient care known as The Path to Wellness©. Our team is totally focused on re-positioning the patient from the sickness model of back pain management to the wellness lifestyle that chiropractic is meant to be. TAC: Tell us more about this repositioning. DSF: All patients have wants and needs. They feel they need pain management when they first meet us; but this is really what they want. What everyone needs is to optimize his or her potential. We invite each of our patients and their families to learn about the power of an adjustment. Our marketing is really based on internal referrals. For the past 15 years, we have only had a one-line advertisement in the yellow pages! My academic background includes a Fellowship in the Sport Sciences. I have always wanted a detailed analytical approach to begin and to monitor patient care. Several years ago 1 invested in an Insight Millenium unit from CLA. This piece of technology became the centerpiece of in) practice as it accurately measured how the stress was releasing from the spine and nervous system. With this level of certainty, I could immediately communicate the changes that adjustments were making. TAC: You mentioned that you have a cash-based practice that thrives. How did you develop this style of an office? DSF: As I developed my practice, I continued to look at the consistency of procedures with the philosophy of care. Insurance-based practices rely on third party directives. I wasn't willing to compromise the availability of an adjustment for the families in our community. Insurers rarely pay for wellness and, so, we focused on teaching the patients the value of lifelong chiropractic care. We chose not to discount our fees, but to charge a fair fee that was in line with the other practices in the city. Well, it worked beautifully. The great thing about this style of practice is that it allows you to build real relationships with each patient. Because they are paying out of their own pockets, they have to be pretty, clear as to where the program is taking them. TAC: Is this where the Path to Well-ness© was created? DSF: Exactly. 1 wanted each patient to be working toward wellness. I created a three-phase model of care that is so simple to apply. The stages of care are named, "Release, Restore and Re-Vitalize". Associated with each of these phases are goals for the patient to strive toward. We begin with the notion that the subluxations are patterns of accumulated stress at the neural-spinal level. The first phase is designed to "release" the old patterns, while the next phase "restores" and rebuilds the integrity of the spinal systems. Finally, we invite patients to choose to continually "re-vitalize" their lives with ongoing adjustments. Our staff is thoroughly trained to assist the patient, as they work their way toward wellness. Our team blends intense adjusting with detailed examinations and reporting. We can see so many people this way. With my lecturing and coaching, I work on a 2-1/2-day schedule now. It's incredibly fun and wildly productive. For the past 6 years. I have had an associate, Dr. Tom MacKay. who works the mirror image of my hours. This way, the facility is being used efficiently. TAC: You use the word "efficient" when you describe your office. What does this mean in real numbers? DSF: The entire operation is 1200 square feet. We have 2 DCs. 3 full time staff, and a massage therapist working together in this space, staggered over 6 days. Without the need for insurance assistants, we can focus on educating, adjusting and inspiring David Fletcher's Profile PERSONAL Married to Nancy for the past 17 years 3 children, Scott (10), Cara (8) and Jenna (4) Recreation and Leisure activities: Running; jitness training, climbing, and reading I Professional affiliations: WCA: International Board Member, CCO, CCSS(C), lecturer CMCC, CAC rep- ! resentative PRACTICE PARTICULARS Practice Hours: Mon and Thurs.: 8-11; 3-6. Wed. 3-6 Techniques: Torque Release Technique, Hoffman tipper Cervi cal, Activator Methods Practice protocol: '' Velocity'' patient flow with Path to Wellness© patient care. each patient. A vast majority of the patients pre-pay for their care; and. so, we are incredibly efficient at moving people within the office. The patients are focused on their care and we have one CA trained to be a Patient Advocate. She reviews the goals and the path that each patient is on. We believe that the service ethic is what has built our reputation and, of course, the results of being adjusted. TAC: You sound so focused and energized. How do you find time to juggle the demands of family, practice and your consulting? DSF: I first have to credit my wife. Nancy. She creates an environment in our household that is so organized. She really is my mentor, as she keeps the lives of my children, staff and myself one step ahead of chaos. Perhaps you should be interviewing her! I am also so thankful to have worked with the masters of our profession. People like Dr's Kent and Gen-tempo have opened so many doors for me, while Dr. John Demurtini taught me the essence of living consciously. I believe that it is so important to nurture my mind and to test my levels of adventure. I make time to read and meditate daily, and I have a passion for climbing and running. It's been an uphill battle to be organized, but I can truly see the value, as I have so many wonderful projects on the go. TAC: Dr. Fletcher, where does the future take you? DSF: Well, I love to practice. After 20 years. I continue to be in awe of the power of an adjustment. My future lies in sharing my practice styles and communication models with the profession. As I lecture, I see the dismay of doctors, as they struggle to take their message out there. I want to tell them that the practice of their dreams is just a decision away. I want them to know that high-volume, low overhead and cash based practice is a reality. By being certain of their service, chiropractors can attract their ideal patients and build a life around the principles of integrity, profit and FUN! You may contact Dr. Fletcher personally @ 905-831-9696 or via email at: [email protected]. For information about DC Coach and the ChiroAcademv or Velocity Europe call 905-831-9696 or go to www.dccoach.com o
