My intention in writing this article is to inform you, the public, on how to choose a quality chiropractor. I will also uncover various red flags you should look for when selecting your doctor. By the end of this article my hope is that you will know how to recognize a doctor who is skilled in his craft in comparison to a doctor who is actually a salesman in a white coat. I speak confidently about this issue, because I have practiced in both ways. When I first began practicing and was naïve in the world of chiropractic, doctors who practiced like salesman had an influence on me. After three years of this type of mentoring, I left with negative feelings and went on my own to practice the way that I knew was the best for the patient. After reading this article, I am confident that you will find a good chiropractor who is more concerned about your health than his or her or her pocket book.

Most chiropractors take additional education courses to enhance their knowledge. One of the differences in types of practitioners lies here:

The first is the doctor who spends thousands of dollars on weekend seminars that teach how to be practice management specialists. These doctors learn how to get a patient in the door, how to get the patient to stay as long as possible and in turn pay as much as possible.

The second is the group of doctors who spend weekends learning different, often difficult and expensive techniques. These doctors sacrifice personal time and money to better themselves.

The obvious question at this point is why would anyone go to the practice management guys and not the skilled doctors? The answer is because the public does not know the difference between the two; because of their training the practice management doctors are better at selling themselves to potential new patients.

I have created the following list so you will be able to spot the type of chiropractor who has had a lot of practice management training:

1. Do you feel like a number or that the office is a patient mill?

Do you feel like you are part of a very organized, structured system that flows you in and out of the office like a machine?

2. Is everyone getting the same treatment?

Wake up people! If you are in an office and you are able to observe other patients’ treatment and it happens that is the same treatment you are receiving, then you have a problem.

Unless every patient has the same problem, you should not be receiving the same care as everyone else. We are all individuals with different problems, and you don’t want the same treatment as everyone else. Doctors who practice in this manner are not doctors they are machines.

3. Does your treatment (patient/doctor contact) take less than three minutes?

Your doctor is not delivering the best care to you if he or she is with you for less than three minutes. Doctors who practice in this way are more concerned about their numbers at the end of the day instead of quality patient care. If he/she is treating you in less than three minutes there is no way to educate you about corrective exercises, modifications at work, learn about your lifestyle and contributing factors to your injury, answer your questions and handle new complaints. Your doctor does not know you as a person and you are receiving the most minimal form of care available.

4. Do you feel like you are unable to ask your chiropractor a question during a treatment visit?

If you feel your doctor is rushing you out of the office when you attempt to ask him/her a question or if she/heslowly backs away to get to the next patient while giving you some quick thoughtless answer then you have a problem.

5. Have you been X-rayed unnecessarily?

X-rays should be used to rule out fracture, dislocation or pathology only. The use of X-rays to “educate” a patient about their internal skeletal structure is irresponsible. Some chiropractors will use X-rays to scare patients about the curves or alignment of their spine to sell them into purchasing potentially unnecessary and excessive treatment plans.

These are a few, but by no means all of the warning signs of a chiropractor who may be more concerned with the bottom line than your primary complaint. In my next article I will focus on how a good chiropractor practices and how to find one.