Survey Says! A look at chiropractic through the eyes of patients t’s challenging to take a step back and understand where we, as a profession, may need assistance, where we excel and how we can grow unless we take the time to ask. But, that’s just what I did. Recently, I created an anonymous survey to break down what chiropractors and their patients are looking for. I would like to present some of the results of this research as well as some statistics gathered by other groups. I’m hoping this inspires change in our chiropractic business practices. Through the survey results, you will find ways to attract new patients from the large population of Canadians who have never visited a chiropractor. As chiropractors, we should strongly focus on redefining and re-evaluating ourselves. If you want to stay on top, you need to evolve, grow, adapt and change. “Where there is difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein Research shows that the field of chiropractic is oversaturated and the percentage of chiropractors leaving the profession after a period of 10 years is significantly higher than in any other medical profession. I will show you the available potential your chiropractic business has and simple ways to make your practice more productive in this competitive field under a slowing economy. I CHIROPRACTIC STUDENT GROWTH Approximately 200 students graduate with a doctorate in chiropractic from Canadi-an schools annually. Roughly 170 are from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) and roughly 30 are from the University of Quebec at Trois-Riviéres (UQTR). The demand for chiropractic care continues to increase and the number of graduates will multiply sharply over the coming years. This is positive for our profession, but it also shows how competitive our market is as it grows. Being unique and going above and beyond what we learn in school is crucial. THE 10-YEAR ITCH According to an August 2010 study of California chiropractors, 27 per cent are leav -ing practice within 10 years of graduation. The authors believe that an oversupply of chiropractors and decreased income are two of the many factors that contribute to the departure. Closer to home, a study of Canadian chiropractors in Ontario shows that, in addition to a substantial increase in the number of chiropractors, there was a dramatic drop in income. Research discovered a 50 per cent decline from $97,892 annually in 1992-93 to only $48,900 in 2002-03. DID YOU KNOW? Research shows that only 15 per cent of our Canadian population visits a chiroprac-tor. This means 85 per cent of Canadians, or roughly 26 million people, have never seen us. The majority are people over the age of 40 and have, or will have, some sort of musculoskeletal problem. This group has the most disposable income. Why are we not seeing them? “If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own.” – Henry Ford 28 • CANADiAN CHiROPRACTOR | APRiL 2013 www.canadianchiropractor.ca Dr. Anthony Lombardi is a private consultant to athletes in the NFL, CFL and NHL, and founder of Ham-ilton Back Clinic, a multidisciplinary clinic. He teaches his fundamental EXSTORE Assessment System and practice building workshops to vari-ous health professionals. For more information, visit www.exstore.ca. Anthony J. Lombardi, DC
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor April 2013: Page 28
