Friday saw a lot of buzz and action at the Sessions. We held nearly continual meetings with authors and vendors at our booth – where Rep Janice Long was usually on hand:
The highlight of the morning was a fasion show held by Dillards in support of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. The music, catwalks and stylish clothing had the feel of a fully professional event:
The staff of Chiropractic Economics is here in the City that Never Sleeps to report on the profession’s largest annual gathering. We’ll keep you posted on the major events and the goings-on behind the scenes.
Right now it’s the calm before the storm. Early risers were seen at the gym and out for pre-dawn runs in the chilly morning! This is a group that definitely walks the walk.
Fabrio Mancini will be leading the opening session at 8:30 am Thurs. with a talk on educating and inspiring those around you. Presentations by Gentempo, Orlowsky, Woggon and Lamarche among others look to be standout sessions.
More as it happens…
Congratulations on getting through a difficult and complex year. Surviving 2011 may have tested your wits, courage, and endurance, but if you made it through with your practice, odds are that the year ahead will be a bit easier on you.
Economic outlook: Financial forecasts are notoriously difficult to make and rarely accurate, and we remain at risk of Black Swan events over which we have no control. That said, improving consumer and business sentiment, combined with strong sales in autos and durable goods due to pent-up demand are hinting at a bullish stock market in the second half of 2012.
The picture for real estate is looking mixed. Some regions will see firm growth and rising values (Calif., NY, FL, VA), particularly in the major cities. Other areas may lag while continued foreclosures and weak demand suppress values. Nevertheless, the worst of the declines looks to be over and a floor is firming up that we can build on.
Sector outlook: Healthcare will remain one of the long-term winners with continued growth and investment, continuing a cyclical trend driven by demographic shifts and economic realities. Parents will always want the best care for their children, working-age adults will want to remain healthy to be financially productive and avoid the catastrophic costs of long-term care, and the elderly will want to maintain or improve the quality of their lives.
At the same time, the Affordable Care Act and Medical Home Model initiatives are placing emphasis on preventive care and wellness. This is a niche that alternative care owns and chiropractic is in the forefront. The ACA and state associations have been working successfully to maintain chiropractic’s seat at the table as legislation has been drafted, ensuring that consumers will have access to chiropractic as they navigate their insurance options.
Most consultants and chiropractors I’ve spoken with are not optimistic, and they point to practice closures, declining PVAs, and enrollment numbers at chiropractic colleges as evidence that the profession is endangered. On the other hand, we’re looking forward now and noting that prospects for recovery are taking shape and so the question is how to best capitalize on them.
Publishing outlook: In the series of issues we have planned for 2012, we’ll pay particular attention to proven, field-tested marketing strategies, practice specialization ideas, and practical management techniques. While some doctors are struggling against headwinds, others are doing extremely well by focusing on areas in healthcare where the need is greatest and allopathic medicine has few solutions.
In particular, we’re paying close attention to metabolic syndrome, diabetes, asthma, nutritional support, and probiotics, as DCs are seeing success in these areas in addition to providing traditional back treatment and pain relief. Get ready for what promises to be an exciting year for all of us.
It’s always important to educate your patients and the public about the many benefits of chiropractic care. This month is National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) and the efforts you make will be magnified by those of your colleagues and your state and national associations.
One way to participate is to put the NCHM logo on your webpage:
This campaign, sponsored by the ACA, focuses on ideas you can share with your patients about using technology safely, avoiding problems like “text neck” and similar. Clicking on the logo takes your patients to health tips they can study online.
There are also resources available for you, including a link to an e-card about NCHM, sample Facebook and Twitter posts, and a press release you can send from your office.
We’re participating here at Chiropractic Economics, and we hope you’ll join us. This is your month to shine, reaching out to your community and offering the gift of chiropractic and vitality that only you can provide.
So far, we’ve held three Facebook giveaways and are preparing the fourth. To enter our sweepstakes for readers, visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChiroEcoMag and click on “sweepstakes” at left.
Important: You must “Like” both the Chiropractic Economics and the vendor’s Facebook pages. We’ve put a link on the entry form so you can “Like” the vendor’s page right there with a single click.
Also, you only have to “Like” us on Facebook once to be eligible to enter a giveaway contest, but you have to separately enter each contest in which you wish to participate.
Sign up for our current contest here and good luck!
It’s day 3 of the conference and tradeshow here in Orlando. There are some compelling presentations scheduled, including “Nutrition Adjustment for Pain Control” by Dr Seaman.
It’s been an exciting second day of the Florida Chiropractic Association 2011 Convention and Expo.
The highlight today was during the plenary session when Scott Halderman, DC, MD, PhD, was awarded the inaugural Lincoln Prize for Chiropractic Research. The prize is a check for $20,000, the largest award of its type.
On accepting the award, Dr Halderman said, “To win an award like this is extraordinary.” He will be donating his check to the World Spinecare Foundation.
We didn’t have time to attend many sessions, but did enjoy “Tales from the Trenches,” which featured talks from Drs Marty Kotlar and Nicole Ingrando, both of whom write for Chiropractic Economics.
Much of our day was spent speaking with vendors and videotaping interviews with them. More tomorrow!
We’re here at the Florida Chiropractic Association’s 2011 Convention & Expo!
There are over 200 exhibitors and we’re interviewing some of the notable vendors on the scene – check our video section for updates. It’s a pleasure to be meeting old friends and making new ones here at The Peabody hotel in Orlando. The organizers are breathing a sigh of relief as hurricane Irene appears to have passed safely by.
We’ll report on the Plenary Session tomorrow. For now, I can say that there are a good number of EHR systems on display, plenty of nutrition and supplement vendors, and new products in orthotics and cushions, in addition to cutting-edge neurological and biofeedback systems. If you’re at the show, visit us at Booth 101. I look forward to meeting you!
There’s still time to take our Chiro Eco Readers’ Survey. We use your answers in our planning for 2012.
It takes about 5 minutes or less to complete. Let us know what you like (and dislike) about our magazine so we can tailor it to more closely meet your needs.
Click here to take the survey.
Thanks for helping us help you achieve success.
Check out Chiropractic Economics Magazine’s May Facebook Giveaway: One lucky Facebook fan will win an Electro-Light Therapy System from Hill Therapeutics!
Visit the Chiropractic Economics Magazine’s Facebook page and “Like” us on Facebook. Then click on the “Sweepstakes” tab on the left to enter the contest. If you are already a fan, then proceed directly to the Sweepstakes tab.
For our first-ever contest, we’ve partnered with Hill Therapeutics, who are launching their new Electro-Light Therapy System this month. The system allows for up to four light therapy electrodes to be used at once, alone or in combination with other electrical muscle stimulation devices. Learn more about the Electro-Light Therapy System here.
We’ll be holding monthly product giveaways from now on, so be sure to check our page regularly to enter each contest. This is our way of thanking you for your interest and support, and we wish you good luck in the Sweepstakes.
Visit our Facebook page now to enter the contest.
