Missed Appointments, by Dr. Ogi Ressel

Monday, June 15th 2009

Warm hellos to everyone,

Let's cover a topic that everyone has difficulty with.

Many doctors ask me:
"How can I make my patients understand their care so that they do not miss
their appointments?"
Awesome question!

Here is the way I see it:
Patient understanding of Chiropractic starts with you. Your patients do not
come to know Chiropractic through osmosis. No. They learn it from you -
their doctor.

This means that you really need to understand what you do....and why you
do what you do. It means that you need to know the Vertebral Subluxation
inside and out.
...And I have to tell you that there is a vast difference in knowing about
something, and actually knowing it.

It begins with you.

Let me be brutally honest for a moment. Do you really understand why
you adjust your patients? And what happens when you adjust them? Are you
really familiar with the effects of a Vertebral Subluxation on human physiology
and potential?
Are you really aware of what your adjustment does? A little hesitant?
It's Ok.
You are not alone. These are very direct questions and answers to these
are difficult to find.

Follow my train of thought for a moment:
In the child, for instance, neuromuscular, neurogenic, and functional adaptive
reflex development represents a critical period of time when a young developing
nervous system assimilates, differentiates, and adapts to external and
internal stimuli.
By means of these processes, this young nervous system learns proprioceptive
patterns and acquires future habits and reactions by responding to repetitive
stimuli.

However, such a developing nervous system is not always able to distinguish
between proper and improper stimuli; therefore it responds to both appropriately
for itself:
This is the conundrum - the response is neither "good" nor "bad", but rather
adaptive to the presented stimulus.
These adaptive responses are remembered and patterned and thus the young
nervous system is conditioned for future response.

This process of neurological "learning" or "programming" of the central nervous
system with respect to locomotion, posture, proprioception, physiological response
and function, and body kinetics begins right after birth.

As chiropractors, our main course of care should be concerned with chronic
"low-grade" and so-called, "subclinical," efferents from the central and autonomic
nervous system that result from, and thereby not only disturb this neurological
"learning", but also initiate "learned" and adaptive reflex kinesiopathology,
dysautonomia, and dysponesis.

It is then of paramount importance to eliminate any faulty programming
as soon as possible.

Your Mission, should you choose to accept it, (and you have, otherwise I would
not be writing to you) is to initiate specific corrective procedures designed to
alter and change learned and adaptive neural patterns, correct Vertebral
Subluxations, restore normal articular function, reduce disc stress, and optimize
neurological integrity.

It is important for you to resolutely strive to reach your goal - the aim being
the correction of the Vertebral Subluxation, not merely the achievement
of temporary relief. The regimen of care should not be rushed, and patient
care should not be based on symptomatology - recovery should be measured
by objective findings.
(Adapted from my research paper published recently in the JVSR)

So there you have it - the reason you do what you do.

And you're thinking: "What the hell does that mean?"
Listen up: It means that the Vertebral Subluxation belonging to the
patient in front of you has become a his habit. It represents an erroneous
adaptive response.

It is an error in programming.
It is a virus executing its own program.
It is a shortcut.
It is a fault.
It is not normal.
Got it?

So....you need to be able to explain this to patients. Difficult?
Easy!
You need to explain that what you are doing is changing their habit.
Their programming. Somethingthat their nervous system has learned,
and accepted as normal. ...And substituting it with a different one.
This one is called normal.
What a concept!
...and it is very impportant that they do not miss their appointments
with you. Period.

People will get this very easily. It is logical and makes sense.
So...get out there and help tons of kids and their parents. ...and if
you have any questions, please call me. That is my Mission: To help
you reach as many people in your lifetime as you can - especially children!

I also suggest that you visit my website (www.practiceevolution.com
<http://www.practiceevolution.com> ) and click on the Practice Health
Mini-Check up button if you have not already done so.

Complete all the fields from your heart and click on the Submit button
at the end.
I'll study your answers and see what challenges you are facing in your
practice and what monsters are hiding in your closet and under your bed
that you may not be aware of! We'll have a great chat on the phone
and I'll give you some suggestions and advice you can implement right
away. We'll de-monster your office. End of story!

Have a wonderful week!

Warmest wishes,
Dr. Ogi Ressel