As chiropractors we often think that the people who present at our practice are only after an immediate outcome to their presenting condition and nothing more. The thought is that people want a adjustment for their given malady and they want the care to be effective, short term and affordable.
Based on that misunderstanding we focus much of our time and attention on mastering our technical skills, we serve them with the best techniques and most appropriate and effective clinical care we can muster. We spend much of our time, money and energy gaining and perfecting our clinical skills. We ensure that our chiropractic colleges teach as much diagnostic and therapeutic science as possible and we structure our continuing education credits to reward attendance at post-graduate seminars that are similarly structured.
Wherever possible we downplay and minimize the ‘soft’ philosophical and human contact side of our profession. We see the doctor/practice member interaction as being a short term phenomenon that has as its goal the resolution of the presenting symptoms in the shortest time possible.
Having attained this we proudly sit back and consider to have provided them with optimum health care consistent with best practice.
Unfortunately this is only a part of people’s needs in a health-care interaction and we pursue this lopsided perception to our detriment. With the rising incidence of litigation it would behoove us to be aware of what people really want in their health care experiences.
Research published several years ago by a group called ‘American Health Consultants’, indicated that 70% of malpractice cases are not necessarily brought about because of a bad outcome, but because of poor communication. According to a representative of the Picker Institute of Boston, USA., “technical care is essential, but that isn’t all that’s necessary for healing and health. Practice members place a big emphasis on personal and interpersonal experiences during the adjustment process.”
People want to associate with a person who cares and shows it. According to a study conducted at the University of Southampton, Aldermoor Health Centre, Southampton, UK and published in the BMJ. BMJ 2001;322:468. Practice members prefer communication with doctors, rather than prescriptions. A total of 824 practice members completed a pre-consultation questionnaire about what they wanted the doctor to do in their consultation. The overriding opinion was that they would prefer a “practice member centered approach” to their consultation including good communication, partnership with their doctor and health promotion information – rather than an examination or a prescription.
What are you doing to deliver appropriate care?
