There are two kinds of chiropractic patients. The first group consists of those that keep the appointment for checkups as recommended by their D.C., regardless of noticeable symptoms. We'll call these folks "Wellness Patients".
The other group are patients who know that chiropractic helps them, have faith in their D.C.'s skills but only keep appointments when they hurt or have an ailment that they can relate to their chiropractic experience. We'll call these folks "Crisis Patients".
What influences the differences in thinking between these two groups? Mainly, perceptions of personal finances and schedules separate the Wellness and Crisis Patients.
The Crisis Patient reasons that if he or she is not in discomfort, there's no need to spend their hard earned pay going to the chiropractor. "Besides," they say, "I can tell when I need to go." The other common phrase is, "I've got a lot to do and really don't have the time." So, by the time that they can "tell when", their D.C. has to attend the patient numerous times over the course of several weeks. It's not unusual for the Crisis Patient to miss work while recovering, but even if not, their condition prevents them from effectively accomplishing the things that they need to get done.
The Wellness Patient relies on the age-old wisdom of prevention. By following through with chiropractic check-ups at the recommended intervals, they keep their spines functioning at optimum and, barring a traumatic event, rarely need intensified care. Even though insurance and Medicare often do not reimburse for maintenance care, the Wellness Patient typically spends less over the course of the year than the Crisis Patient spends over the course of a few weeks. AND... by including chiropractic in their schedules, Wellness Patients miss less work (and play) than Crisis Patients miss from illness and pain. -Hal S. Crowe, Sr., D.C.
