Bonnie McAndrews, DC, president of Custom Wellbeing, in Irvine, Calif

In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, people have little patience. Convenience can mean making or breaking a business. Bonnie McAndrews, DC, of Custom Wellbeing Inc in Irvine, Calif, speaks to Chiropractic Products about how her company offers convenience to both chiropractors and patients.

How does your company customize "optimum wellbeing" for a chiropractor's patients?
The idea is to place a patient catalog in waiting and treatment rooms to promote wellness programs for patients. We offer 129 products from 21 vendors that patients can use at home to improve health. The product set selected by doctors is tailored for patients and offers a well-planned, tactical approach to achieving their goals. For example, in addition to chiropractic adjustments for chronic back pain, a customized wellness program can include a lumbar support for the car, a water pillow, a mattress, or an exercise bike. By offering multiple solutions for conditions the patient has an optimal approach to wellness.

What does it mean to become a Custom Wellbeing partner?
Custom Wellbeing provides the patient wellness catalog to the chiropractor, who then recommends the various products to patients regarding their specific conditions. The order is placed to Custom Wellbeing via fax or the online ordering system. The chiropractor increases revenue by retaining 20% of all wellness product sales and we handle the rest. It is completely free of charge to join the Custom Wellbeing Network. There is no fee to sign up or use the system, no minimums or obligation. Doctors no longer has to stock products with the upfront cash outlay and utilization of precious office space. The products are shipped directly to patients. Our customer support center handles questions, returns, and exchanges, taking the chiropractor out of the excess transaction details. It is our belief that when patients thinks of wellness, their chiropractor should come to mind first. Who is better positioned to be the wellness provider?

What is the history of Custom Wellbeing?
I have been a chiropractor for more than 20 years. I experienced a devastating back trauma years ago; nothing in traditional Western medicine could relieve my pain—until chiropractic. When I wanted to go to the next level and incrementally improve my quality of life, I could not find a single source to oversee my program. Now more than ever people are seeking information on how to achieve a healthy lifestyle, especially Baby Boomers. There is an abundance of products available, but not an easy way for DCs to recommend these products without the hassle of stocking, upfront purchasing, or worrying about returns or exchanges. Custom Wellbeing was launched.

Tell us about Custom Wellbeing's commitment to the profession?
Our mission at Custom Wellbeing is to assist chiropractors in achieving optimum wellbeing for their patients' quality of life. The program is exclusively administered through health care providers. Custom Wellbeing achieves the same with a unique combination of quality wellness products and vendors. We hope to achieve that the word “wellness” is one-in-the-same as “chiropractor.”

What do you see for the future of chiropractic?
Renowned US economist and multimillionaire Paul Zane Pilzer has identified wellness as the next trillion dollar industry. People are proactively seeking care to keep them healthy, slow the process of aging, and deter the onset of disease. The 78 million Baby Boomers are the largest consumer group in America and are most noted for their interest in living longer and well. We see chiropractors as the wellness providers of choice. By including these value-added services, chiropractors are ingraining a wholistic approach to modern health care. CP