Assisting with the next phase of practice.

by Bob Braile, D.C.
ICA President

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." This about sums up the current practice attitude of most practicing chiropractors. At this time in the history of healt care in the United States the third party pay system is undergoing a revolution. Forget what some politicians have said in Washington, health care reform is being dirven not by politicians but rather by economics.

Te insurance companies are the ones who pay the bills, they are the one who want reform, and they are the one who have the power to change the system. The result as allof us have noticed is Managed care, lower fees, more regulation, limited access and more hassels. All this coming after the 80s, the age of glorious insurance equality, wonderful benifits, big payoffs, and large insurance practices.

For some this time of transition has been a period of unmatched axiety. Doctors watching as large segments of thier practice go from good coverage to limited coverage, or worse yet, to coverage for only the guy up the street. Some doctors have seen huge decreases in thier incomes and access to patient in thier communities. All this while watcing a few with political clout continue to get thier names on list after list of managed care payrolls.

Still other doctors have been relativley uneffected by the currrent trends. Some seem to have practices busssier than ever. All this without the benifit of being included on every managed care list. Some have even managed to accomplish these amazing practices without the benifit of any inurance at all. So the question egs to be asked, what’s the difference?

The difference can be summed up in three words, Principle, Positioning, and Service. These three are the hallmark of every sucessful practitioner even at this time of severe insurace upheaval. These three are not only the keys to a sucessful practice, They also happen to be the foundation of the ICA.

The ICA has been a player in chiropractic for 70 years. We are here for the long haul. During this time the ICA has continued tostand the test of time in stability, and direction. Even when popular fads have drawn other away, the ICA has held its ground and protected chiropractic, and chiropractors. No oter organization in the profession has endured and continues to follow the direction of Principle, Positioning, and Service.

From a practice perspective Principle means a strong understanding and belief in the basic tennats of our profession. Patients will not be drawn to a doctor who has a weekness in their own convictions about their profession. All sucessful chiropractors share this common trait of strength of conviction in chiropractic.

Positioning means markenting yourself to those who need your services. All to many of us spend much energy marketing tothose who pay the bills instead of those who need our care. We as individuals and colectivly must position our services and chiropractic into the main stream of consumer demand. This is NOT medical care, but rather the onslought of people heading towrd the wellness arena. People by the millions are now serching for the answers that we chiropractors have been shouting for years. If we postion ourelves in this health consiousness movement, they will come. All sucessfull practitioners offer their services to the masses in a way that is appealing to the public.

Service is the glue that then hold the rest together. Service include careing for your patients. Being there for them with their needs. Service means making it affordable, making it available, and an atmosphere conducive to healing and love. But, Service by itself is not enough. There are many good careing practitiners who still are struggling in practice. It is only when Service is combined with Principle and Positioning that the doctor will obtain a truly sucessful practice.

Strange then that the charateristics needed for a sucessful practice should be the same as those the ICA has cherished and nurished for 70 years. Over the years ICA has taken a fair amount of underserved heat for not apparently changing with the curent styles of practice. In fact ICA has always been playing the game for the long haul, not for the short term gain. Now that chiropractic practice has become to come full circle, ICA is uniquely positioned to lead and assist you in your practice. But the ICA will lead NOT by force, not by regulation, and not by forced standards. ICA will do it by Principle, Positioning, and Service. We intend to offer the profession a vision of chiropractic only seen by few visionaris throughout hte history of our profession.

So over the coming months and year, as you adapt your practices for the reality of todays market, remember you have a home. ICA is uniquely positioned to offer yu the stability you need in this transitional period. ICA has been here for 70 years. We intend to continue leading chiropractic and chiropractors to the next era of health care and practice.