Patients (Eventually) Become What They Read

By Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD(hc), FICC(h), Publisher

For decades I have tried to understand why some people choose the path of chiropractic and wellness, while others succumb to the constant barrage of propaganda propelled into our lives from the drug cartel.

From what I've learned, the answer has a lot to do with the information they receive and believe. What we believe is generally the sum of what we read, hear, see and experience. The information is weighted based upon the authority and intensity of the source. In order for your patients to have a wellness mindset, they must partake of a steady diet of wellness information.

Looking at the research that is being published these days, there is a constant and steadily increasing stream of studies supporting wellness. Wellness is not some vague religious pursuit that only the most naive embark on. On the contrary, the evidence is available and relatively consistent, and it applies in one way or another to everyone.

So, how do we help our patients (and their family, friends and neighbors) gain the understanding they need to choose chiropractic and wellness? The drug companies are doing their part to steer your patients toward their products (and for all intents and purposes, away from yours). With combined advertising budgets nearing a billion dollars a year, the drug cartel is highly motivated to ensure that every television commercial break, every radio program and every magazine that enters your office is packed full of their message of better health through chemistry. While it may seem like an overwhelming task, you can combat their influence, at least in your community. Here are some things you can easily do starting right now, if you haven't already done so:

• Check Your Magazines. Have your office staff review the reading material you place in your reception area. If there are an abundance of drug ads or if the articles are medically oriented, consider changing to other reading/viewing material. Unfortunately, they get plenty of exposure to the "pill for every ill," medical model every day; don't give them any more reasons to turn away from the natural health care you and your colleagues provide.
  


• Share Recent Findings. There is a lot of good information being published about the benefits of living a wellness lifestyle.* Take a few moments at the beginning of each week and find a study or two that will help your patients lead healthier lives. You can make copies of the abstracts/articles to share with your patients when they come in, or just talk about them during the visit. This will continue to underscore the important role you play in their overall health.
  


• Make To Your Health Available. Every other issue of Dynamic Chiropractic comes in a plastic bag. Included in that plastic bag is To Your Health magazine. This is a magazine designed to communicate the advantages of chiropractic, wellness and your importance as their health authority. This publication comes to your office at no cost to you. Ensure that it is available to your patients.**
  


• Send an E-Mail Patient Newsletter. E-mail has made it possible to communicate with every one of your patients with a single click of your mouse. You can easily send them information about chiropractic and wellness every month.*** The nice part about an e-mail patient newsletter is that your patients can easily share it electronically with others, expanding your scope of influence and increasing the likelihood that new patients will come to you as their source of information and health care.

If it appears that I am pushing you to communicate more with your patients, I am. There is nothing more powerful than information that impacts people's lives. Your message of chiropractic and wellness can impact their decisions and their health. Use every tactic you can to make sure they hear what we (and so many others) are saying.

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*For recent wellness research that you can share with patients, see my Wellness Report blog postings.
**If one copy of To Your Health is not enough for your reception area, you can order more for a nominal fee by calling (800) 359-2289.
***If you need help creating and e-mailing a patient e-mail newsletter for your practice, call us at (800) 359-2289. We have one that is very inexpensive to implement.

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