Julie Duck

As doctors of chiropractic, you are in the position of providing for patients what many allopathic practitioners don't (and sometimes won't): nutritional testing, supplement recommendations, and the help that patients need to bring better health into their lives. This is not to say that the medical community doesn't care about patient health; otherwise, they wouldn't be in their profession in the first place. It's that because of the pressure to herd patients from room to room, watch the HMO clock, and schedule appointments into 15-minute increments, paying attention to something as basic as nutritional supplements is put on the back burner.

Being a health care advocate for patients who want and need something more than 15 minutes and a scrip is an important component of chiropractic. By being in this position, you have the opportunity to provide patients with what they need to positively impact their lives. Nutritional supplementation can be a part of this.

Offering nutritional supplements through your practice can be a win-win scenario. Not only can you create up-sell moments that can positively profit your practice, you can also help those who need expert guidance on the road to wellness. In turn, this fosters patient trust, retention, and more referrals.

Some patients may balk at the costs incurred by purchasing high-quality supplements. This is when quality, not quantity, should be thoroughly conveyed. Basically, it isn't what you do but the way that you do it that gets results. By taking quality supplements, patients will likely see and feel positive outcomes more quickly, more thoroughly.

We are what we eat, and like it or not, when we eat junk food and treat our bodies wrong, it can come back to bite us. The public is finally starting to realize the reasons why they feel sluggish, tired, and depressed. They are also seeing the direct link between diet, nutrition, and several serious health conditions, including obesity. And one of the biggest reasons for this awareness is the commitment of health care providers, such as doctors of chiropractic, to provide patients with the information and tools they need to get—and stay—healthy. Keep up the good work!

Julie T. Duck