Looking Ahead: One on one with seven industry experts

There have been many changes in chiropractic this past year. As the new year approaches and resolutions are made, Chiropractic Products asks six industry leaders to look to the future:

What major change do you wish to see happen in the chiropractic profession in 2003?

Kent Greenawalt, CEO and president of Foot Levelers Inc: Unity! Let’s make 2003 the year that we make the most of our strengths and unify our efforts in chiropractic. “Divide and conquer” applies to our profession—and we have been divided for too many years. All of us basically want the same thing. We are too good at what we do to settle for anything other than the best. I suggest that you write it down and read it everyday: “Unity in Chiropractic.” Let us join hands and commit to make it happen.

Peter W. Hefele, vice president of marketing for Douglas Laboratories: Unifying the various chiropractic organizations under one vision would bring improvements in education, dispensing of care, and economic advantages to the practice. It is our sincere hope that this vision allows a broader group of practicing chiropractors to recognize and embrace the importance of nutritional intervention along with functional and structural realignment of the musculoskeletal system. This comprehensive approach would give chiropractic physicians an important edge over mainstream primary health care practitioners who focus on traditional intervention only. Also, increasingly important for chiropractors is to reach out to the community and educate patients on the unique proactive health benefits of nutritional supplementation along with ongoing spinal adjustments.

Gary Huddleston, DC, president of Eurotech Tables & Mfg: As a chiropractor and table manufacturer for 20 years, I have seen wonderful changes in the chiropractic profession of which I am extremely proud. The major change I would like to see—which has been the goal of many for years—is more unification between chiropractors, organization, and the different factions. With this unity will come more national and political recognition; a greater and even larger influx of patients; and the acceptance of what we do as not only viable, but necessary. Chiropractic will not be the “stepchild” to medical treatment as many feel it is, but actually the needed alternative. As I've always said, “There is strength in numbers, and weakness in the divided.”

Perry Isenberg, president of Biofreeze/Performance Health Inc: My answer is three-fold. The first is absolute unity among all of the chiropractic governing bodies. The second is for the chiropractic profession to fully embrace massage therapy as an invaluable addition to their care. Thirdly, the biggest change that would benefit the entire chiropractic community would be to increase the attendance of chiropractors at conventions by reducing the number of conventions and reducing or eliminating other continuing education sources. The result has been a significant decrease in attendance at many conventions, yet the number of conventions has increased. It has made it difficult for vendors to make personal contact with chiropractors, and they also do not have the opportunity to visit with the vendors to be properly educated about their products or services.

Maurice A. Pisciottano, DC, president and CEO of Pro-Solutions for Chiropractic: My wish for the next year is to see a greater number of chiropractors utilize the technology that is currently available to them. Technology can assist with patient diagnosis, treatment plans, patient management, patient care documentation, new patient generation, patient retention, and much more. Using technology enhances the integrity of the chiropractic profession, while maintaining the purity of the chiropractic philosophy. I believe that if more chiropractors see the value in the technological advancements and implement them in their practice, we can influence a dramatic positive effect of chiropractic throughout the world.

David Singer, DC, CEO of David Singer Enterprises Inc: I would like to see our profession receive more acknowledgement for the incredible results we produce. I believe that public opinion shapes economic decisions. If a greater emphasis was placed on making the results of chiropractic care known, I think we would find it easier to get insurance reimbursement, as well as new patients. Picture a headline in USA Today or on CNN that reads: “Five Year Study Proves Chiropractic the Most Effective Treatment for Migraines,” or “Conclusive Study Shows That Chiropractic Care Prior to Back Surgery Prevents the Need for Surgery in 50% of Patients.” I would like to see the positive truth of what we do promoted and made known to our population.

Gregory D. Thurston, DC, DIBCN, consultant for Edward J. Herba, MD & Associates: I would like to see electrodiagnostic testing become more widely utilized and recognized by the chiropractic profession as an important diagnostic tool, which can assist in accurate diagnosis of neurologically related conditions commonly seen by chiropractors on a daily basis. Chiropractic physicians have as much, if not more, justification than other doctors to use nerve conduction studies and evoked potentials, due to the fact that they diagnose and treat patients with conditions for which these types of tests were designed. When utilized appropriately and responsibly, electrodiagnostic tests are powerful and reliable tools that differentially diagnose, confirm, or refute subjective and objective findings.