Force VS Power, by Dr. Ogi Ressel

Wednesday, June 17th 2009

Warm hellos to everyone!

Ok....I am going to ease up on the TRUST issue - I think you get my
point - but, I am relentless when it comes to the issue of morals and
principles and ethics in practice.

I am sending you a letter I received from one doctor that says it all:

Dear Dr. Ogi,
There was an article published in our city newspaper and it perfectly sums
up why we are not growing as a profession, and should be. The whole
"used car salesman" approach by some chiros has badly damaged our
reputation. Here, in my city, I have seen too many patients scarred by
huckster chiros. One patient cried as she told me that her former chiropractor
used to call and harass her to death - even at her workplace - when she
couldn't make her appointments. He called her when she was deathly ill in
bed with pneumonia to say "get your ass in here". She cried and told him
she was too sick to drive.
He still kept pressuring her until she had her husband take the phone.
Another lady said she went to a chiropractor for a WCB injury. This docto
r immediately starting in on her about "how could she neglect her kids
by not bringing them in for adjustments." She brought her kids in, of course,
and he wanted to see them very frequently for weeks on end with no rationale.
She was nearly hysterical looking at her visa bill. She tried to tell him she felt
she wanted to discontinue or lower the frequency of care for her kids at that time
and he went ballistic trying to shame her for not caring about her kids' futures.
Sickening beyond words. There shouldn't even be a chiropractic profession if
this shit goes on. Could you imagine any other profession doing this? My
point is: educate your patients, offer to do check-ups, examine people and
their kids, but once you have done your VERY best to explain Chiropractic to
them, then, for God's sake, let them make their own choice. Arm twisting,
guilt tripping and high-sales pressure is killing the profession. If you explain
the principles that govern what we do and why clearly, most people will
comprehend this and want care. But back off on the ones who don't, or the
"water hole" is poisoned.
I don't care how strongly a DC believes in what they do, and of course we
should, but let the patient decide for themselves. I am so sick of seeing
people come into us horribly gun shy about care, because of the
brow beating they have taken at another clinic. And guess what, many of
these same patients became wonderful patients once I explained to them
the basics of their spine in a non pushy way, letting them choose, not trying
to make the choice for them.
I know you teach this in your seminars,
Dr. Diane

I couldn't agree more! We have talked about this a number of times before -
there is no grace and benefit to scaring patients into care, pressuring them,
brow-beating them, using guilt tactics, and compromising your integrity - and
theirs. People who have been "hustled," usually do not remain patients in
your office for very long. Why? Because it wasn't their idea. It was yours!

The sad reality is that their concept of Chiropractic has been marred.

Doctors who practice in this light very often open themselves to State Board
complaints and a political nightmare, and at the end the question remains:
"Was it worth it?"

I need you to read another letter I received from one of my PEP Doctors in Omaha:

Good morning my friendly northerner!
I was doing a bit of light reading this morning (Power vs Force by David Hawkins)
and came across this paragraph that really sums up the marketing/management
world vs timeless procedures/principles.
"Force always moves against something, whereas Power does not move
against anything. Force is incomplete and therefore has to constantly be fed
energy. Power is total and complete in itself and requires nothing from outside
itself. It makes no demands; It has no needs. Because Force has an insatiable
appetite, it constantly consumes. Power, in contrast, energizes, gives forth,
supplies and supports. Power gives life and energy. Force takes these away.
We notice that Power is associated with compassion and makes us feel positively
about ourselves. Force is associated with judgment and makes us feel badly
about ourselves."

Of course, plug in the gimmicks/traditional marketing techniques with Force
and your timeless PEP procedures/principles with Power and you get the point.
Also, explains the low self esteem, neg. thots etc. of management ridden
chiropractors who constantly struggle vs. the ones who truly succeed ''effortlessly."

Anyhoo, thot you would like to see this, heck, you probably read the book already.
Dr. Rick

There it is. Couldn't have said it better myself!

Warmest wishes,
Dr. Ogi Ressel