Is There a Chiropractor in the House? by Ellen Cooper

Chiropractors are known for treating problems with the spine but they are much more than that. In the course of a day, chiropractors do pretty much what all doctors do.

They take medical histories, conduct examinations, order x-rays, etc. However, they face challenges that the average medical doctor doesn’t.

The biggest challenge facing chiropractic today is 2 fold. (1) It is the confidence in chiropractors themselves, as professionals to believe in what they do and believe in their ability to help patients and (2) it is the need to educate our patients and the media about our wonderful profession and the limitless benefits we can provide,” adds Dr. Katrina Kulhay.

David C. Shaffer, D.C. says,“ The insurance industry is reaping huge profits and cutting services, in the form of payment and ability to properly manage cases, to all doctors. They put out the spin that it is high health care costs that are driving premiums but doctors have taken a pay cut, based on inflationary pressures, for that last decade or more. Secondly, the well funded AMA, big Pharma etc. and the legislators who are in their back pockets are constantly trying to remove the tiny gains that the ACA (American Chiropractic Association) and others have fought diligently to procure.

The biggest challenge is inflation vs. fixed reimbursement of insurance plans. Second to that is that the insurance companies are coding chiropractors as specialists which has a higher co-pay for the patient. Many times this co-pay to greater than 50% of the allowed amount and we have seen this year the specialist co-pay being greater than the allowed amount. This puts an burden on the patient and in Missouri is illegal. HMO's must pay at least 25% for PCP's and 75% for specialists,” says Dr. Stan Boyer, who has a private practice in Saint Louis for 24 years.

Susan Clarke has been in practice for near-on 25 years now. She came to America in 1972 and started at Northwestern College of Chiropractic in 1980 and graduated in 1984.

I reckon the biggest challenge is the hold that the medical profession has on our culture, in that people want a "quick fix" and much of the time have difficulty with being forgiving of their bodies. I am not surprised by this since every night there is masses of free advertising for the wonders of the medical world and how they save people (in an hour). Plus of course there is the deluge of paid advertising - where if you take this anti-histamine, you will be dancing through fields filled with flowers! It always surprises me when people come in with their inhalers and even though the inhalers don't work very well, the giving up of them is difficult. Another challenge is the HMOs. Though I will say that this is not as much a challenge as it was 5 or more years ago when people tended to be less skeptical of how the HMO functioned. Now I am finding that my clients will come in a having already made a decision that seeing me is an out-of-pocket expense that they are willing to incorporate into their budget. But it used to be quite common for someone to call up who wanted to come in who had Health Partners or Medicare and we then have a conversation about the value of healthy care versus sickness care. I usually have about 3-4 personal injury clients at any one time. Now getting those bills paid is still a big challenge.”

Dr. Jay Perniciaro adds,“ Having owned a multidiscipline clinic including orthopedic surgeon and internal med specialists, I can say that one of our biggest challenges is the lack of understanding of Chiropractic by any other allopathic primary care physician. We have a duty to educate our medical colleagues as to the procedures we find effective and the research that has proven why what we do works. I have spent the last 6 years working with various medical doctors to bring them at least a basic understanding of the principles and significance or removing nerve interference.

The biggest challenges I face as a chiropractor is giving quality care to the patients I see and still being able to see enough patients per day to bring in a good living. The other challenges I face are raising my three in a half year old daughter with my husband and balancing out all the things that I need to do between my personal and professional life said,” Dr. Jeanette Honig, Chiropractor

According to leading chiropractor Dr. Steven Weiniger of Atlanta,“ The greatest challenges facing chiropractic profession: 1-Positioning chiropractic in the public mind as a service of significant value for musculoskeletal problems ( primarily back pain, but other joint problems ranging from the neck to the knees) and possibly for general wellness despite insoluble internal disagreements about the benefits of non-musculoskeletal, non-symptomatic and general wellness care. 2- Maintaining level playing field participation and reimbursement from insurance companies and other third party payers. My personal direction: Teaching doctors to empower patients by teaching them posture exercises which, along with adjustments to restore joint motion, can help a body move better as it ages. My contention is that a body which folds into an "old man slump" will not age as well as one which stands tall. The chiropractic potential is for aging boomers to embrace the idea that chiropractic can help keep you moving, and you must move well to age well.”

Chiropractic is unique, separate and distinct from all other health-care professions. It does not address what is wrong but rather works with what is right with the body. It allows for a greater expression of health and life within an individual. It is a totally different way of thinking than what is common in today's world. Getting people to understand that everyone is better with a clear nerve system whether they know it or not and whether they want to believe it or not, is my greatest challenge,“ says Judy Campanale, DC, FCSC

I feel the biggest Challenge in Chiropractic today still remains the long standing challenge to educate the general population on the basic and simple principles of chiropractic care. The simple fact that a properly functioning spine removes stress from the nervous system and reduces the breakdown and decay of the spine. Properly maintaining your spine through regular "adjustments" will reduce the need for many medications and unnecessary surgeries.

Once the population requests this type of care, the medical profession and insurance companies will realize that supporting this type of care will save both money and lives by reducing the injuries and deaths from many needless medications and surgeries,” replied Dr. Adam Fidel

To reach Dr. Fidel call 410-484-5642.

Our biggest challenges are insurance industry discrimination and suppression, chiropractic usage decline, misinformation being delivered to the public that chiropractic is somehow dangerous or ineffective, and public ignorance,” said Dr. Keith Kretschmar

For more information call 727-399-0408.