I am sharing this to the Chiropractors and friends of the CSW at the recommendation of Dr. Rob Cadwallader:
Dear Dr. Cadwallader,
I was thinking about a huge patient education issue that I don't think most chiropractors are completely aware of. And correct me if I am wrong. I noticed a huge decrease in perception of the effectiveness of chiropractic care in HMO dominant areas and this is how I explain it to my patients. Insurance companies allow care based on medical necessity and medical necessity for the average patient comes out somewhere around 24 visits for the average patient. HMO's through managed care are allowing chiropractors in this area only around 10-12 visits per patient, which is generally not enough to get them out of their symptomatic situation, leaving them still in some pain at the point where the chiropractor dismisses them from care. These chiropractors are then strongly encouraged to refer them into the medical system if they are still symptomatic for drugs or PT. They have been doing this for about 30 years. What they have done is created a situation where the chiropractors are telling the patients they don't need any more chiropractic and the patients are told to see a medical doctor or PT after 30 years of doing this the perception of chiropractics effectiveness in this area has gone down the tubes. And this is an area where the perception of chiropractic was once at the highest point with the Gonstead clinic in Mount Horeb and Davenport not so far away. What do you think about this? I think this type of perception is why such a small percentage of the population do chiropractic here. I think if all the chiropractors were made aware of this and started educating there patients about this idea we could make a change in Wisconsin pretty quick.
David Dow D.C.