January 2009
It turns out that our growth in 2008 was 12.6%. Better than I had been tracking in the fall. I imagine what the level of growth will be when we have all of our people in place!
Collected revenues fell by 2.5%. Medicare and the State of Illinois insurance have been paying late and slow. Luckily, that is not the bulk of our patient base, but in a small company, we feel it.
Young would-be chiropractic doctors and natural health care providers regularly call me to find out if they can shadow our staff. Before I say "yes" I do an interview, then tell them the requirements to do it. (Most of them don't do it when they find out that they have to fairly exchange work for observing. Occasionally, someone expects to get paid.) Over the years, every one of the people who have come to do it have firmly decided to enter natural health care, yet have had one over-riding concern, and that is about the job opportunities that will exist after graduating and getting licensed. The problem is, I tell them, there is not a specific venue for natural health care providers to work. The health care system is set up to give jobs to providers that tow the party line (drugs and surgery); of course there are exceptions here and there, but it's rare to find natural health care providers in that environment. So, the drug and surgery economy keeps moving - and growing. More importantly, there is a place to find a job if you are trained to be in that system. On the other hand, natural health care providers have the option to open up their "mom and pop shop" or join someone else's; that's about it.
Okay. If you are a natural health care expert - trained and ready to go - and you open up your "mom and pop shop", you must be a blackbelt in a myriad of subjects besides the clinical work. [Clinically, you have to knock the patients' socks off with great technique, giving them a reason to come back as well as something to talk about (referrals)!] In the "mom and pop shop", you have to be the great boss, manager, entrepreneur, human resources ace and business strategist...at least. No wonder so many natural health care providers default on their student loans. They aren't trained with an MBA.
I see UHI and my new division (New Results Headache Relief Clinic) as the venue for these great natural health care providers to work their magic. Health care insurance and flex spending covers this kind of care, plus people are willing to pay (and they want something other than the old drugs-and-surgery-model). I intend to do two things: give the providers the perfect place to do it; and give the public a perfect place to find it.
I have gained a great deal of clarity about this over the years, and it has never been more sharp than it is now.
Listen up, friends, countrymen and countrywomen! This is the time for this company to grow and thrive!
That said, January was a tough month for business. I don't care what anyone says, the weather does play a part (especially those '40 below' days)! I shouldn't forget to mention the general attention and concern to our economic challenge and financial climate seems to have, at least, made people forgetful. There is a consequence to the strain.
Collected revenues fell by 2.5%. Medicare and the State of Illinois insurance have been paying late and slow. Luckily, that is not the bulk of our patient base, but in a small company, we feel it.
Young would-be chiropractic doctors and natural health care providers regularly call me to find out if they can shadow our staff. Before I say "yes" I do an interview, then tell them the requirements to do it. (Most of them don't do it when they find out that they have to fairly exchange work for observing. Occasionally, someone expects to get paid.) Over the years, every one of the people who have come to do it have firmly decided to enter natural health care, yet have had one over-riding concern, and that is about the job opportunities that will exist after graduating and getting licensed. The problem is, I tell them, there is not a specific venue for natural health care providers to work. The health care system is set up to give jobs to providers that tow the party line (drugs and surgery); of course there are exceptions here and there, but it's rare to find natural health care providers in that environment. So, the drug and surgery economy keeps moving - and growing. More importantly, there is a place to find a job if you are trained to be in that system. On the other hand, natural health care providers have the option to open up their "mom and pop shop" or join someone else's; that's about it.
Okay. If you are a natural health care expert - trained and ready to go - and you open up your "mom and pop shop", you must be a blackbelt in a myriad of subjects besides the clinical work. [Clinically, you have to knock the patients' socks off with great technique, giving them a reason to come back as well as something to talk about (referrals)!] In the "mom and pop shop", you have to be the great boss, manager, entrepreneur, human resources ace and business strategist...at least. No wonder so many natural health care providers default on their student loans. They aren't trained with an MBA.
I see UHI and my new division (New Results Headache Relief Clinic) as the venue for these great natural health care providers to work their magic. Health care insurance and flex spending covers this kind of care, plus people are willing to pay (and they want something other than the old drugs-and-surgery-model). I intend to do two things: give the providers the perfect place to do it; and give the public a perfect place to find it.
I have gained a great deal of clarity about this over the years, and it has never been more sharp than it is now.
Listen up, friends, countrymen and countrywomen! This is the time for this company to grow and thrive!
That said, January was a tough month for business. I don't care what anyone says, the weather does play a part (especially those '40 below' days)! I shouldn't forget to mention the general attention and concern to our economic challenge and financial climate seems to have, at least, made people forgetful. There is a consequence to the strain.
posted by Dr. Amelia Case at Wednesday, February 11, 2009
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