Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor

Editors note – October 2008

By Maria DiDanieli   

Features Business Marketing

Recently, we, as Canadians,
learned that communicating our impressions regarding an issue – through
letters, phone calls, e-mails, etc. – can actually garner a desired
result. When one of our political parties was barred from participating
in the televised federal election debates, people got busy and told
government leaders that the exclusion was unwarranted, unfair and a
contraindication to making an informed decision at the polls.  As you
all know, the exclusion was reversed. 

It is our duty to peacefully bring about change. It is our duty to communicate with our politicians and our media, in order to question or praise their actions. And it is our duty to speak to our colleagues and friends about items that are relevant and important to our particular groups, and our society at large.
In this issue, we will be featuring various topics surrounding managing the chiropractic practice. I observe that doing this successfully requires a great deal of communication on the part of the DCs: communication with support staff, patients or potential patients, the public, politicians, associations and colleges, medical organizations and the media. Overall, DCs can be formidable communicators but, at times, I sense a reticence to “tell it like it is” and a tendency to mute the power of your own potential  – as practitioners and as a profession – or to try to tailor it to existing systems in ways that do not do reflect its essence. In order for chiropractic to make sense, communication from the profession needs to describe change – why the change is necessary and how chiropractic, in and of itself, should contribute.  

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In this issue, we present an overview of chiropractic coaching and consulting services for DCs. Dr. Barbara Sturm joins us again, to talk about how she, as a coach, can help DCs implement communication – and other – strategies in their practices. Real estate and business appraiser Lloyd Manning writes about valuating your practice. (For suggesting this topic to Canadian Chiropractor, we are grateful to Dr. Naylor of British Columbia – thanks for communicating!)  Dr. Richard Dober Jr. talks to chiropractors about what he has learned through being an Olympic competitor. Visit  www.cndoctor.ca to read Dr. Larry Smith’s web-exclusive article that also talks about how athletic competition parallels the vision and mission of chiropractic practice. And finally, investment advisor Michael Magreehan talks about keeping a cool head in a bull or bear market situation in order to protect your investment portfolio in the long term.

I am always amazed at the number of stories, ideas, news items, etc., that I receive from busy practitioners. I am grateful to all our contributors. I hope that independent chiropractors will become even more active in the communication-for-change process. Start in your offices by educating your staff and patients. Write to your local papers, telling the public about what you do and how it can help people. After October 14, tell your newly elected representatives why it is important to support programs for wellness and health promotion as well as health-care choices such as chiropractic. Write to each other through chiropractic publications to communicate your successes, techniques, tips, concerns, etc.

But, please don’t be silent or gun-shy. It’s important to stand true to yourselves and to what you do. You think no one will listen? If you can convey it, back it up and stand firmly behind it, I submit that, on the contrary, no one can ignore it!

Bien à vous, •


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