The Acupuncture Poll question for October 2004 was:
How many patients do you refer out to medical doctors or chiropractors each month?
Results:
These results are based upon 230 responses. As this is a voluntary, non-scientific survey, caution should be used in generalizing the results. Here is a sample of the comments made by those who took the survey and how they voted. Some comments have been edited for brevity.
Between 6 and 10: I get more referrals back from medical doctors and osteopaths as well as chiropractors - 13 this month so far.
Between 6 and 10: I typically get more referrals from chiropractors or medical doctors, since most of my patients have already tried anything else besides Oriental medicine first.
Less than 5: I don't refer many people to medical doctors. However, I frequently make referrals to a specific chiropractors who has a physical therapy orientation; also, to a psychologist I like, and to other acupuncturists with specific specialties.
Think of your most difficult patient – the one you try to motivate and work so hard with to develop a realistic treatment plan with achievable and measurable goals. Week after week, you see this patient struggle, sinking deeper into hopelessness as their health and quality of life continue to worsen. What if there was something else you could do that could change their outlook and their life? The solution is as simple as an automated program.
A herniated disc in the lumbar (lower) spine is the most common cause of chronic sciatica, a condition in which back pain extends down the leg. The affected nerve is the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back down the back of the legs and is the largest nerve in the human body. New research suggests acupuncture may be a great option for these patients.
As a practitioner, if you're wondering why your social media efforts aren't working the way you had hoped, or if you're not using social media at all, use this article to get your social media marketing strategies (back) on track.
