Five table industry insiders offer sage, pragmatic advice on picking and pricing tables for your practice

Which table is right for your practice? What are the costs involved? If you are combing the market for a new table, be sure and read advice from our four experts on what to expect, what to ignore, and what to keep at the top of your list. From expected costs to the latest in technological advancements, these experts invite you sit in on this candid and practical discussion.

Julie Cox-Cid works with TRACK Corp in sales of the Cox Table. She grew up in a family of chiropractors and has helped with sales for about 4 years.

Leander J. Eckard, DC, has been a chiropractor for more than 40 years. He is the inventior of the Eckard chiropractic tables.

Gary Huddleston, DC, is the CEO, owner, and founder of Eurotech Mfg. He is a licensed chiropractor and rehabilitation specialist whose clients include film and entertainment industry, professional athletes, mixed martial artists, and rock musicians. He has been manufacturing chiropractic tables for more than 20 years and is one of the few table builders who is a licensed and practicing chiropractor.

Mark Reiter is the senior vice president of LSI International Inc, a wholesale distributor for chiropractic, physical therapy, and massage therapy equipment based in Overland Park, Kan. He is a regular guest lecturer at Cleveland Chiropractic College and has more than 10 years’ experience in the chiropractic field.

Dave Schultz is the president of Hessco, a health equipment sales and service company based in Saukville, Wis. Schultz was raised in a family serving the chiropractic profession and has been working for the family chiropractic business since he was 14 years old.

What are the three most important features to look for when purchasing a table?
Cox-Cid: Function, reliability, and quality. For function, ask what is the intended use of the table? What interventional adjustive procedures are expected of the table? What research documents the ability of the procedure and the table to perform the desired functions? What features of the table take into consideration the ergonomics of the doctor’s application of the adjustment?

When looking for reliability, question does the instrument perform the way it is intended? Can it do so for the long term? Will its safety features truly make the table safe? Do its functions properly match the techniques it was made to support?

In terms of quality, remember to ask if the most recent technology is being utilized in the construction of the table? Are safety issues addressed? Are the highest quality materials used?

Eckard: Does it perform in the manner the doctor expects? Does it allow the patient to be comfortable? Does it qualify for tax credit refunds?

Huddleston: I want all equipment and tables to be DAD approved: diverse enough for the way you practice and to cover most conditions that come into your office; affordable—no table is good for your practice if paying for it becomes a burden; and dependable because you want a table that will be there for you and your patients today, tomorrow, and years down the road.

Reiter: First, look at durability. It might look good on the showroom floor, but how is it going to look and function 5 years from today? Also, consider warranty. Third, look at price versus quality. Compare the features needed, the warranty and service options, and the price.

Schultz: Quality, resale value, and good after-delivery service. A table that breaks down will cost the doctor time and money.

What are the prices and costs DCs can expect for a table purchase?
Cox-Cid: To get the quality, reliability, and function from the most important piece of equipment in the office, the doctor must consider which table gives the best clinical outcome while providing the most ease of use. A less expensive table may lack quality and reliability. The return on investment must be considered regardless the price of the table. A more expensive table that makes treatment easier on the doctor and patient, along with producing the best clinical outcome, represents the best investment.

Eckard: Price depends on function. If the table is more advanced or complex or dynamic, it will cost more than $6,000.

Huddleston: Table prices range from a few hundred dollars for a bench to five figures for high-end tables. Doctors should also realize that there may be shipping charges, possible taxes, and even setup fees—depending on the company.

Reiter: This can vary widely, but the average adjusting table goes for around $3,000 to $9,500. If you get an adjustable elevation or a hi-lo table, you will get half of that back on the ADA credit. Of course you could spend a lot less or more than $10,000, depending on how few or how many bells and whistles you want.

Schultz: Table prices range from $100 to $15,000.

Are there financing/leasing options available?
Cox-Cid: Leasing makes the investment easier. The payments are more manageable and covered by just two to six treatments per month. Financing for a purchase can also be arranged so that doctors can take advantage of available tax credits for business. Doctors might see a return on their purchase in as quickly as 1 month.

Huddleston: Every good table company will have a variety of payment options for doctors and use several leasing or finance companies. Now, even doctors with less than acceptable credit can be financed for their new table purchase. Some table manufacturers also have in-house financing, as well as 30/60/90 plans.

Reiter: There are many ways to pay for a table. NCMIC offers both financing and leasing. Banker’s does the same as well as HPSC. There are many good lease and finance companies, but I know that those three, in particular, are very active in the chiropractic community. Rates are competitive and some companies offer unique programs, such as delayed payments or 90 days same-as-cash plans.

Schultz: Both new and reconditioned tables can be leased or financed. Many different payment plans are available.

What should chiropractors expect in customer service, support, and repairs?
Cox-Cid: Doctors should expect their calls for service or support to be answered quickly and cordially with a plan for resolving the issue. Tables often come with a specific warranty. It is important to understand the warranty and accept customer service and support beyond that warranty. It is understood that many doctors have only one table and when that table is down, it affects the practice. Customer service desires to get the table up as soon as possible.

Eckard: At least a 1-year warranty and a local representative who would provide service.

Huddleston: Without a doubt, the doctor must expect prompt, courteous service and a quick resolution to the problem. Every table company will have a problem here and there with its product, no matter how expensive the table. This is just the nature of mechanics and manufacturing. However, these problems should be dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible without disruption to the doctor and his practice.

Reiter: Most distributors are responsible for servicing the tables they sell themselves. The manufacturer will send parts to the distributor at no charge during the warranty period, which is usually 12 months. The distributor should be willing to provide labor at no charge during that warranty period. Look for a distributor that has been in business for a while, has experienced service personnel, and a solid service network.

Schultz: Experience is the most important factor in fixing chiropractic tables. Look for companies or dealers that have employees with factory training who will get the job done right.

What are some aspects of table companies that DCs should be aware of?
Huddleston: Doctors should always look at the credentials of the company or dealer. Does the table company have FDA approval on its products? Does it have products liability? Does it make a wide variety of tables to meet your needs? How are warranty issues handled? Is there anyone there who can help the doctor with difficult usage or treatment problems?

Excluding our hands, the chiropractic table is the most used piece of equipment in our office, and the decision to purchase one should be made with insight.

Reiter: On the positive side, most table companies are constantly working to make their products more versatile and reliable. On the negative side, some table companies tend to exaggerate delivery times or their ability to perform service work in the field.

Schultz: The chiropractic table is the most important piece of equipment in the office. Table companies should be able to offer the doctor a choice of several different brands and price ranges. Service, after the sale, is the most important factor.

Which tables are the top sellers and why?
Cox-Cid: Flexion distraction decompression adjustment tables sell well as clinical outcome studies have made them a leading requirement for clinical chiropractic practice, especially as the population ages and the incidence of disc degeneration, disc herniation, and stenosis become more prevalent. Research continues to point to the technique as being effective for treating acute- and chronic-pain patients compared to conservative medical care.

Huddleston: The hi-lo will always be the workhorse in many practices. However, we have seen a huge rise in sales of electric and manual flexion tables with electric distraction, as well as spinal decompression features. Add a couple of drops if needed, and the doctor has a multitasking table that can be used for much more than just a spinal adjustment. We have also seen a large growth in orders for tables that also have a long-axis distraction headpiece as well. At this time in health care, decompression is one of the major treatment protocols.

Reiter: Once considered to be standard equipment in the chiropractic office, hi-lo tables that come from a horizontal to a full-standing vertical position have lost some of their popularity because of expense and time consumption. Many doctors are opting for simpler benches with at least one drop. The most popular choice, however, is electric elevation. This is where the entire height of the table can be raised and lowered to accommodate doctors’ heights and patient sizes. Vertical height adjustment tables also qualify for a 50% ADA tax credit, adding to their popularity.

Schultz: Lloyd, Leander, Zenith, Chattanooga, Hill, and Hessco brands make up the vast majority of chiropractic tables in use today. These brands will have the highest resale value.

What advice do you have for first-time buyers?
Cox-Cid: Seek out the table that offers the most important qualities—function, safety, quality, and support. Don’t let cost interfere with your decision to have the highest quality table.

Eckard: Know what you need, what you can afford, what will last for years of daily use.

Huddleston: This is simple. You have devoted 5 or more years of your life and spent more than six figures for your chiropractic education. And you will spend many more years of your life—and hard-earned dollars—establishing your practice. Why, then, would you open your practice with the cheapest adjusting table, bench, or portable you can find? Remember, the adjusting table is just as important to a chiropractor as the right tools are to a surgeon. Would you go to a doctor who was going to operate with equipment bought at a garage sale? You don’t have to pay a lot—just get the most for what you pay.

Reiter: Like a mechanic’s tools, the chiropractor’s table is used to adjust every patient. Whether the table is new or used, it should fit the technique. If you primarily do flexion, you’ll need a flexion table. As well as fitting your technique, it should also fit your budget. Do not break the bank straight out of school on a feature-laden, high-dollar table. You can always trade that first table for an upgrade when you have a greater patient base.

Schultz: Ask your fellow doctors. They can let you know which companies have a good reputation.

What are some technological advances or new features?z
Cox-Cid: In flexion distraction, there are two new advances. The newest technology is geared toward the application of cervical spine treatment. Long Y-axis distraction makes treating the cervical spine simple, effective, and comfortable. Second, automated long Y-axis distraction for the caudal section of the table is smoothly and quietly run by actuators, allowing an ancillary service and billing charge.

Huddleston: We are incorporating both cervical and pelvic long-axis distraction and decompression features on our flexion tables, and keeping them extremely affordable. We are also offering both mechanical and digital readout of these features so doctors will have an idea of how many pounds of traction force are being applied. In general, we are also seeing tables that are more versatile and will accomplish more tasks than tables of 5 or 10 years ago.

Reiter: As air-compression systems become smaller and quieter, you’ll see more manufacturers using pneumatics. Most likely, there will also be a greater use of small electronics to control functions that now take human interaction or physical controls. An example might be controlling the functions of an interseg table with keypad presets for time, length of stroke, direction of the rollers, etc. If the technology makes it more simple and convenient for the doctor, I think it will win them over.

Schultz: Attending conventions and reading trade magazines will help doctors keep up with the latest advances.

Any last words of advice?
Cox-Cid: Patients return to doctors who deliver painless adjustment procedures while attaining excellent clinical relief. Most doctors have several techniques at their fingertips to address patient conditions. Having reliable, quality, functional instruments in the office to support those techniques is essential.

Eckard: Take time to shop for a table. Go to Parker Seminars, the FCA conference in Orlando, or any of the state conventions and try them out.

Huddleston: Everyone has questions, and if you can’t get the answers you need from your chiropractic table manufacturer, then go elsewhere. There are several excellent table companies in our profession that not only build good equipment, but support chiropractic as well.

Reiter: Don’t buy more than you can afford, but don’t buy less than you need. Either way you’ll be mad at yourself later.

Schultz:Make sure that cost is not the only factor you consider. Keep your equipment looking great and well serviced, and your patients will notice. CP

Julie Z. Lee is a contributing writer for Chiropractic Products.