A new inspiration focuses on putting the "health" and the "care" back into health care.

Most of us know the challenge of convincing people to see a DC for wellness care. And yet, every DC I've ever met receives questions from patients asking what lifestyle choices they should make to achieve better health. Whether people want to reduce stress, lose weight, stop smoking, get fit, or feel better, DCs are a great resource to help people with these concerns. Now is the time to start telling America about what we have to offer. Why?

Did you know that according to researchers at Harvard University, more than 50% of personal bankruptcies are related to medical debt? Did you know that employers across America are desperate for solutions that will help reduce their health care costs and increase their profitability? Increasingly, employers are realizing that the only way to achieve that goal is through improving the health, well-being, and productivity of their employees.

Who is in a better position to help people reduce their risk of lifestyle-related preventable diseases and therefore reduce their risk of medical bankruptcy than doctors of chiropractic? It is a profession with the skill set and compassion to help people improve their quality of life by helping them make better lifestyle choices everyday. This is our opportunity, and now is the time to position ourselves as the wellness leaders in our communities.

Wellness Products

One of the most effective ways to attract new patients to your wellness center is by letting people know that you can help them determine which of the essential wellness products can best help them reach their health goals. Consumers spend billions of dollars annually at Whole Foods Markets, Relax the Back Store, Brookstone, Costco, The Sharper Image, and others, purchasing wellness-related products with little to no expert advice as to which products will serve them best.

The Discover Wellness Retail Made Simple program allows DCs to create a retail experience in their wellness centers by coordinating patient education with a professional retail display.

This is an untapped opportunity for DCs who want to attract new patients to their wellness centers. What we are not effectively explaining to the public is that the most expensive wellness products are the ones you purchase and don't need, or that do not provide maximum benefits. Most people are simply clueless about what they should or should not be using when it comes to wellness essentials. If people only knew that you could help them determine the best ergonomic products, supplements, stress-relieving tools, and home exercise programs they should be using, I bet you would attract lots of new people who are interested in learning more about who you are and all that you have to offer.

The Discover Wellness Plan

Discover Wellness is a nationwide campaign focused on providing wellness professionals the tools, techniques, and technology to build the world-class wellness center of their dreams. One of the most powerful tools Discover Wellness created is our partnership with Meyer Distributing to create the Discover Wellness Store so that you can make retailing in your practice simple.

You can use the Discover Wellness educational system to let your patients know that you can help them determine the products that are best for them. Instead of the traditional method of simply having a bunch of products on the floor by your adjusting tables, or bottles and pillows sitting on your valuable counter space or hidden in closets, the Discover Wellness Store is designed to provide your patients and your community an attractive retail experience.

And experience matters. Just ask Starbucks what makes its retail experience so much more successful than every other coffee shop, and they will tell you it's the Starbucks Experience.

Now you can create an attractive and elegant way of recommending your favorite wellness essential products using the Discover Wellness System. Use Chapter 15 of Discover Wellness: How Staying Healthy Can Make You Rich as an educational tool for your patients to learn about the most popular products most wellness doctors offer and why.

Want to supercharge your credibility and attract lots of new wellness-oriented patients while increasing your retail sales? Discover Wellness Presents is a lecture series that allows you to teach your patients, local organizations, and local employees about your favorite wellness essential products through various lectures, including "Wellness Essentials: What the Experts Think and Do."

Discover Wellness Presents is a professionally designed lecture series for you to speak about the wellness essentials you use and recommend. It includes 10 PowerPoint presentations, scripts, and audio samples of each lecture. It also includes letters and phone scripts to contact local employers and organizations, including what to say (and not say) to get you booked to do lectures. It even teaches you strategies on how to get paid for doing your lectures.

Stand out in your community by having an attractive turnkey retail "experience." Your effectiveness and profitability will skyrocket when consumers have multiple opportunities to learn about all that you have to offer them through the powerful education they receive from the book and lecture program in combination with the attractive Discover Wellness Store.

Discover Wellness Products

Most DCs recommend products in five categories: alignment, exercise, nutrition, healthy thinking, and healthy habits. The book and lectures help you teach people about your favorite products in each category. The income potential is enormous, and the possibilities are endless. Here is a list of all of the types of products that Discover Wellness recommends, and you should, too.

Alignment

• Cervical curve devices: Posture Pump, Neck Orthotic, traction units
• Cervical pillows
• Lumbar supports
• Ergonomic workstation products such as desk chairs, monitor arms, and headsets
• Keyboard/mouse accessories
• Orthotics
• Healthy shoes
• BackSaver wallet
• Healthy Backpacks

Exercise

• exercise balls
• Resistance bands/weights
• Bosu core exerciser
• Instructional exercise videos
• Foam rollers
• Core trainer
• Power Plate
• Biometric tools

Nutrition

• Essential fatty acids
• Multivitamins
• Green supplements
• Protein powders
• Detoxification products

Relaxation

• Relaxation audios
• Home massage units and chairs
• Pain-relieving topical
• Hot and cold packs
• Bio-energetic protection Q-link
• Earthing technology
• Spa day certificates
• Resorts, retreats, and seminars

Healthy Habits

• Purified water products
• Air purifiers

Whether you choose to in fact offer all of these products in your office or just some of them, the point is that you are providing a valuable wellness service to your patients and community by helping guide them toward the products that will serve them best. That alone will increase your ability to attract new wellness-oriented patients.

Some DCs will appreciate the additional profit, and some will not want to deal with ordering and carrying products in their offices. Always remember it's about serving, not selling. If you don't want to deal with offering products in your office, then create a list of your favorite wellness essentials and direct your patients to Web sites where they can order the products you recommend directly.

Many DCs are attracting new wellness patients to their offices by offering products first and services second. It's an easy transition because most people look to a new pillow or mattress to address a deeper issue as a first attempt. When you help them learn that their problem is in fact deeper than just replacing the product they hoped would fix it, they will be grateful. It may be that they try the product first only to learn that you were right, but they will learn that you are right.

Grow your practice, serve your community, and help solve America's health care crisis by helping people Discover Wellness.

Jason A. Deitch DC, is the chief wellness officer for The Masters Circle and co-author of  Discover Wellness: How Staying Healthy Can Make You Rich. He is the founder of DiscoverWellnessCenter.com.