So you write or call for more information, and upon hearing the sales pitch, you buy. But did you ask the right questions? Do you know the people behind the product or service?
It has been said that a product (or service) is only as good as the people who make it. But in the chiropractic profession, there is more to it.
To become a chiropractor requires a significant amount of commitment. The sacrifices through chiropractic college and during those first years of practice should never be forgotten or taken for granted: these are your initiation into a great profession.
When you meet other chiropractors, regardless of your philosophical views or the techniques you use, you share those experiences that have made you a part of the chiropractic "family." You treat each other with a little more respect and feel a greater degree of closeness because of the heritage you share.
Unfortunately, not everyone shares your commitment to chiropractic. Sooner or latter, we all learn that: they just don't share the experiences.
The same is true with many of the companies that hope to sell you products and services. Most of them have been around for a long time. They are names you know and trust. These organizations have been "giving back" to the profession constantly, often in ways you're not aware of.
But as the chiropractic profession becomes more recognized, it is attracting other companies, some whose only commitment is to the almighty dollar. They don't give back, they only take. And in the end, they withdraw from the chiropractic "market," leaving a trail of broken promises and dissatisfied customers.
The message is simple: Buy from the companies that share your commitment to chiropractic.
If it is a long established company, look at what it has done for the chiropractic profession _lately_. Is the company supporting chiropractic research? Is it supporting the Chiropractic Centennial? Where is the company's commitment to your national and state associations?
If you're looking to buy from a provider new to the chiropractic profession, don't be afraid to ask: "What is your company doing to give something back to the chiropractic profession? How are you supporting chiropractic?" If the company seems uncomfortable in having to answer these questions, there's probably good reason for their discomfort.
These next few years will be the most challenging in chiropractic history, particularly in the United States. The demands for cost- effective care and practice guidelines could very well catapult chiropractic into the forefront of health care, or send us spiraling to the ground. If a company is going to earn its living from chiropractic, then it has an obligation to help this profession grow and prosper.
So go ahead, ask the questions. Spend your hard-earned money with those companies who consistently give back to chiropractic. Maybe even send a thank you to companies that really support chiropractic, even if they don't have a product or service you wish to buy.
Find out who you are buying from BEFORE you buy. The chiropractic profession relies on your supporting those companies who have a commitment.
DMP Jr., B.S., HCD(hc)
Click here for more information about Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD(hc), FICC(h), Publisher.