If you had a chance to read the recent article in Time magazine (April 6), you know it provided some good information about the efficacy of chiropractic to the magazine's substantial consumer audience.
- "Along with a doctorate in chiropractic, [Dr. Michael] Schneider also has a PhD in rehabilitation science. His research2 has shown that 'cervical and lumbar manipulation' – the back and neck adjustments most people associate with a visit to a chiropractor – can be an effective treatment for low back pain. Especially when combined with standard medical care, chiropractic manipulation often leads to better patient outcomes, other studies suggest.3"
- "The benefits of chiropractic for acute low back pain have been pretty widely accepted for years now within the medical community," says Dr. Ronald Glick, assistant professor of psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and co-author of several of Schneider's research papers.
- "The stroke question is basically resolved," [Dr. Scott] Haldeman says, citing research4 that shows the risk of suffering a stroke following a chiropractic visit is extremely low, on par with the risk associated with visiting a physician.
This is probably one of the few times (if not the first time) so many solid studies supporting chiropractic are referenced in a single article in a popular magazine. The Time article references a total of seven papers, and while they mostly focus on back pain, they do confirm the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic.
But another aspect of this article probably had you cringing (as it did me), perhaps best illustrated with this statement: "Like any other type of doctor, some chiropractors are good, some are just OK and some are bad," says Dr. Simon Dagenais, a chiropractor and clinical epidemiologist. "It takes just a few rotten apples to spoil the bunch."
While everyone has had unfavorable experiences with all types of health care providers (dentists top my list), this seems to be a bigger issue for our profession. If you read the Gallup-Palmer College of Chiropractic Inaugural Report: American's Perceptions of Chiropractic5 carefully, you can't help but notice that of the 51 percent of U.S. adults who have had some experience with a doctor of chiropractic, 25 percent (about half) haven't been back in more than five years. Taking into consideration that many people don't go see a DC unless they have back pain, there is still some concern that a significant portion of that 25 percent left their last appointment less than 100 percent satisfied with their care.
There is a theme that usually arises when I talk to consumers I know. A common question they ask me is: Where can I find a good chiropractor? They know chiropractic is effective and prefer it over drugs, but they are unsure about how to find a DC who will fit their needs. A few questions bring out the fact that they have gone to a DC before, but weren't entirely satisfied with the experience.
I can't help but see this as more of a communication challenge, rather than a quality-of-care issue. In most cases, it sounds as if their expectations were not met and the doctor in question wasn't proactive in their relationship.
If you look further into the Gallup-Palmer survey, you find some support for this conclusion. It is clear patients who see their DC more regularly have a higher regard and greater trust for their doctor and the care they provide. One can only assume this is the result of their experience and the doctor-patient communication that accompanies each visit.
Chiropractic is not readily understood by most of the public. There aren't any television dramas that provide context to the value of our care. We lack the sufficient marketing budget to tell our own story to large numbers of consumers. With all that in mind, every patient interaction you have is much more important than you might think. It is your time to answer questions, dispel myths and provide an authoritative response to the naysayers who have been telling them not to come see you.
Schedule time at the end of every visit to have a conversation with the patient about chiropractic. Pick a topic you want to address each week or month. You can talk about chiropractic for children and seniors, the importance of nutrition, misconceptions that patients have, etc.
In listening to consumers I meet, I honestly believe a DC who takes the time to communicate well will be considered a better doctor by their patients and be more likely to get referrals.
References
- Heid Markham. "You Asked: Are Chiropractors Legitimate?" Time, April 6, 2016.
- Schneider M, Haas M, Glick R, Stevans J, Landsittel D. Comparison of spinal manipulation methods and usual medical care for acute and subacute low back pain: a randomized clinical trial. Spine, Feb. 15, 2015;40(4):209-217.
- Goertz C, Long C, Hondras M, Petri R, Delgado R, Lawrence D, Owens E, Meeker W. Adding chiropractic manipulative therapy to standard medical care for patients with acute low back pain: results of a pragmatic randomized comparative effectiveness study. Spine, April 15, 2013;38(8):627-34.
- Cassidy JD, Boyle E, Côté P, He Y, Hogg-Johnson S, Silver FL, Bondy SJ. Risk of vertebrobasilar stroke and chiropractic care. Eur Spine J, 2008 Apr;17(Suppl 1):176-183.
- Gallup-Palmer College of Chiropractic Inaugural Report: American's Perceptions of Chiropractic, completed July 2015.
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Click here for more information about Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD(hc), FICC(h), Publisher.