By James C. Antos D.C., DABCO
After forty years practicing Chiropractic in the great State of Florida and having the privilege to serve over 20,000 new patients during that time, I have seen what works for patients in care, what really helps people, and what doesn’t. Also, I have come in contact with some of the finest Chiropractic doctors and to be able to receive the knowledge, wisdom, and experience that they would share. Because of that and some fundamental truths in achieving clinical excellence that I will share with you further on, I was able to be successful.
Because of continuing to strive to do better, in diagnosis, in analysis, and decide upon, recommend and deliver treatment better it was always my intent to deliver more value to the patient than I received in renumeration. Being a Chiropractor delivering chiropractic care afforded me a professional lifestyle, a sound retirement, and the peace in my mind of knowing I honestly did my very best.
Achieving success, financial security, the satisfaction of having a good name in the local community and among peers (both friends and opposition forces alike) were all because of two strong and dynamic forces.
The first is employing the simple power of Chiropractic. With Chiropractic care the power of health, vibrancy of life, and the body healing its illnesses and injuries by co-operating with the innate intelligence of, as Dr. James Parker taught, doing what is “naturally right.”
The second is a very personal and private decision that one makes in their mind and very soul, a professional decision that one makes with full clarity of mind and the will. A decision that determines what you will recommend to the patient in care. If you are committed to the belief of doing what is naturally right then it is the easiest thing you will ever do. And that is this: No matter what the patient’s problem is. ask yourself this question. “What would I do, knowing what I know, if this person was my ____ (fill in the blank: mother father, spouse, brother, sister, child, etc.).”
Or better yet: What would I want done if I had this problem?
Think about it! Be honest with yourself. Write down what you would start doing in treatment. How would you decide to continue or change treatment? Would you continue the course or seek more tests, or change to different techniques or modalities, or seek consultations or referral to other health care providers? What would I want done, every step of the way, if I had this problem?
For example, suppose a female patient, age 45, presented to you with a complaint of right shoulder pain that stops her from raising her arm above horizontal and is worse at night when she is trying to sleep? She has been your patient before for other issues and trusts you. You are the first person she seeks help for this professionally.
Okay, think about it. What would you do? If a chiropractor develops a shoulder problem like this it is a very serious issue. If you don’t know what to do, do what I did. Get the patient to someone who does and then go learn how to take care of the patient’s complaint. Talk to peers, take classes, spend time in offices that know what they are doing, learn and become proficient, read everything you can.
If you know what to do. Then write it down, crystalize your thoughts, and then say to your patient this:
“You have this ____. Knowing what I know, what I am recommending is what I would do for my (self, spouse, child) if I (they) had this problem.
Its really easy to become clinically excellent, just follow these rules:
- Honestly and confidently develop the ability to present the treatment plan.
- Do what is naturally right.
- Continue to learn and become more and more proficient.
By the way, without any further information, what would you do in further examination, tests, diagnosis, treatment plan, and prognosis for the 45-year-old lady with the shoulder pain. Write it down. Let me know.
James C. Antos Has been a Florida licensed chiropractor since 1978. Currently is CEO of Antos & Associates, LLC, a consulting company specializing in helping chiropractors and other professionals achieve certification to be able to provide DME supplies such as lumbar and knee braces to Medicare patients and be reimbursed at the same level as medical physicians. His website is antosdmebrace.com and can be reached at antsjm@hotmail.com. Phone number is 386-212-0007. He lives in Windemere, Florida, and enjoys extensive traveling, constantly learning, and the constitution.
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