Whoever Saves One Life Saves The World In Time

"Whoever saves one life saves the world in time"

These words were written thousands of years before chiropractic but they represent our purpose and define our objective more clearly than any words written before or since. It is your purpose to save their life and the life of their family and everyone else they know one person at a time. As I continue on this journey I am more convinced today that we chiropractors are the last true hope for the people we serve. It is our vision on health and the choices we offer our patient’s that will save their lives. I am also convinced that all of us need to do a better job. We need to get serious and start working together if we are ever to change the paradigm of those we care for. How do we start such a large and what seems impossible task? One person, one patient, one life at a time.

The most important first step, know that you write the tale of your own life and that the end is up to you. Why do anything mediocre? If you know what you do as a chiropractor is right for everyone then start practicing like it. Let me ask you a question. When you put your hands on a patient, what is your objective? You must know with total certainty that if the patient looses motion, alignment, or position in their spine their nervous system has lost normal functioning. Degeneration is developing in their spine and the patient is increasingly becoming more sick and diseased.  No drug, injection, nutritional supplement, or surgeon’s scalpel will correct or heal the problem.  Only you and the chiropractic adjustment will make a difference. Every recent scientific article has shown us what DD Palmer knew years ago, and yet far too many in our profession still minimize the impact of the adjustment. 

What is your vision? Does your purpose include care for everyone? If not, why? Ian Grossman once said, “the patient cares only of what you think of you.” I would add, and what you think of what you do. Do you explain the adjustment and what it is? How the stress response is improved, how the immune system is enhanced, how their nervous system is repaired each time you adjust their spine.  Do you call the patient after their first appointment with you? Do you call the patient after their first adjustment? You need to show x-rays with nerve charts, use words that demonstrate the seriousness of what it is you do, and always adjust. Greet the patient with, good to see you, not how are you. Confirm they needed the adjustment and close your time with them with a phrase reinforcing health and wellness. Do you show pictures of children you care for? I use and display an otoscope, spirometer, and vital monitor units around the office. Why? We need to be the parent’s first choice in their families health provider. I don’t know about you, but I am more than a little tired of being the patient’s last chance. Let parents know you care and that you are more than willing to provide chiropractic care to their sick children. Have nerve charts all around the office showing the organ and nervous system connection.

Always have information to hand out to all you serve explaining the benefits of what we do. Always speak kindly of your local chiropractors recognizing that we are all on the same team and weather you like it or not, we are only as strong as the weakest among us. Attend your association meetings and know the challenges before us are difficult but can be met with the force of 50,000 strong with one voice if we so choose. The responsibility of what we offer the world is presented to one patient at a time, one life at a time and this is how we will save the world. Be proud of who you are and what you do. Know that everyone is not going to get it and move on. Start helping the chiropractor up the street and stop looking at everyone with a DC after their name as a competitor. Their not! Most of them are just nervous or scared, or confused. They want to do well and serve people and need friends and mentorship like the rest of us.

Remember tomorrow when you go to work that it’s never too late to be what you could have been, so take the action you need and start making some changes. Make your calls, educate the patient, offer family plans, examine children and babies as a gift to those you serve. Remember you stand on the shoulders of all that came before you and that the future of chiropractic is up to you!

-Dr Joe Borio