Earning a living - my.02

[Guest guest]

OK Y'all asked for it so here are my non wisdom, non

secrets;

 

Start by asking yourself one question why are you

doing Acupuncture, is it your career or your passion?

If your goal is money skip this and go to one of

Singer's seminars. He will teach you how to make

money.

 

If your goal is helping people by doing that which is

your passion read on.

 

Talk to everyone you meet about your passion. Always

have cards with you and hand out lots of them.

 

Encourage everyone who you believe can be helped by

this wondrous medical system to see a practitioner

-and do not worry if they choose you or another

practitioner just be grateful that they are getting

help.

 

Arrange to give talks at every club and meeting that

you can -civic groups, unions, whatever

(I once spoke a meeting of the dancers at a strip

joint about their back problems)for free.

Bring slides, a video, (life forms has a really good

one)charts as back drop. Do a treatment and bring a

patient or some written patient testimony.

 

Remind yourself daily about why you got into TCM and

be enthusiastic about it to yourself. You are one of

the lucky few who get to do that which is their

passion and make a living at it.

 

Treat every patient as if they are the only patient

in the world and focus completely on that patient and

their needs - no matter if 80 other patients are

waiting for you.

 

Never answer the phone when you are with a patient it

sends the message that they are not important to you.

 

Do not think of patients in terms of money- no matter

how broke you are

 

Always think of the patients needs first.

If the patient needs 3 visits five weeks apart tell

them this, if OTOH they need daily visits for 30

treatments total explain this so they understand why

and do your part to make it possible.

 

If you know that the patient would be better served by

another modality or by another practitioner refer them

without hesitation.

 

Treat only those people you know you can help (unless

no one has been able to help and you might be able to)

This serves the patient since they get the best health

care available and enhances your reputation by showing

compassion and because if you only treat people you

know you can help you will become known for your

amazing rate of success.

 

Remember that it is your privilege to treat the

patient.

It is amazing that a human being created by G-d

grants us the trust to take care of this incredible

creation.

 

Help others to build their practices; share anything

you have learned openly. Don't worry we won't run out

of sick and injured people any time soon.

 

Never lie about your abilities or the outcome or

prognosis.

 

 

Nothing very profound or secret but it has always

worked for me.

 

 

Dr Ron S " Doc " Rosen OMD, DAc, DiplAc/CH, FNAAOM, FAAC

etc........

 

 

BTW This is just off the top of my head so if i

think of other things i will post them too.

 

I am only one; but still I am one.

I cannot do everything, but still I can do something;

I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

- Helen Keller

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/27/2005 6:30:51 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

Doc writes:

 

OK Y'all asked for it so here are my non wisdom, non

secrets;

 

Start by asking yourself one question why are you

doing Acupuncture, is it your career or your passion?

If your goal is money skip this and go to one of

Singer's seminars. He will teach you how to make

money

 

 

Dear Dr. Don Doc Rosen:

 

I read the rest of your posting also. Not one thing you have said in it is

either inconsistent with Singer seminars nor is anything you have said not

taught or touched upon in a Singer seminar. I found the curriculum there to be

at a pretty high level of ethics. Others on the list have also mentioned that

with vigorous passion for what one is doing, comes a following of patients.

Singer helps ring this out in healers.

 

On the other hand, one could still do all the things that you have mentioned

and fail in the business of their profession if they do not follow prudent

business practices, advertise and do so many of the things that must be done

in 21st century America, as opposed to the wandering Shao Lin priest model of

healing. (not to say that you were espousing this.)

 

I have to wonder if you actually took Singer's courses or just heard about

them?

 

The reason I am adamant about this is that I believe that if acupuncturists

as a whole were more financially successful, they would be taking a big step

towards establishing and protecting the profession for years to come. If

everyone follows a practice model that is " off the grid, " then much of the good

that can be done for people, sadly will not be done for them.

 

GR Porter

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

DrGRPorter wrote:

 

<snip>

 

> if acupuncturists as a whole were more financially successful, they

> would be taking a big step towards establishing and protecting the

> profession for years to come. If everyone follows a practice model

> that is " off the grid, " then much of the good that can be done for

> people, sadly will not be done for them.

>

 

Hi Dr. Porter!

 

It is a conundrum all right. If we had money we could do more to

establish ourselves but we don't so we don't.

 

Regards,

 

Pete

[Guest guest]

--- DrGRPorter wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

>I read the rest of your posting also. Not one thing

you have said in it is

either inconsistent with Singer seminars nor is

anything you have said not

taught or touched upon in a Singer seminar. I found

the curriculum there to be

at a pretty high level of ethics.<

 

I found the focus to be MONEY and not patient care,

and this focus /intention is antithetical to good

patient care.

 

>Others on the list have also mentioned that

with vigorous passion for what one is doing, comes a

following of patients.

Singer helps ring this out in healers.<

 

I have found the direct opposite among his followers.

 

>On the other hand, one could still do all the things

that you have mentioned

and fail in the business of their profession if they

do not follow prudent

business practices, advertise<

 

In that case i must have failed years ago.

I do not advertise.

My patients and the other Drs who i refer to and who

my patients see on their own and who see the results i

get do that for me.

 

 

>The reason I am adamant about this is that I believe

that if acupuncturists

as a whole were more financially successful, they

would be taking a big step

towards establishing and protecting the profession for

years to come. <

 

What do you mean by *establishing and protecting the

profession*?

 

I wrote a state law have the ear of a lot of the

movers and shakers in our state

 

>If

everyone follows a practice model that is " off the

grid, " then much of the good

that can be done for people, sadly will not be done

for them.<

 

Agreed but I am not in any way off the grid, it is

just that i put people ahead of profit.

 

RON Doc Rosen

BTW Just curious because i find it strange that on a

professional list you sign yourself Dr with initials

and never a first name but; what is your doctorate

in?

 

and

 

before you ask i have had the nickname Doc since i was

about 12

 

 

I am only one; but still I am one.

I cannot do everything, but still I can do something;

I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

- Helen Keller

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Guy:

 

I have taken Singer's seminars. I will only be on for one year ( and by

the way I will lose money since I am not going to be attending for half

a year and I have a credit - but it just doesn't feel right). His

seminars did give me a jump start and helped to gear up my practice. He

also has a way of putting you in charge of your practice rather than

your patients.

 

I always came away with a bad taste in my mouth about his sales

approach. Someone called it disempowering (from a health perspective)

and that word comes to my mind also. His consultants really push you to

go full speed ahead on your business. Not everyone wants to run an

office with employees. They really are bent on expansion at any cost.

You can adjust this to what you want but it seems to go against their grain.

 

I do believe it is important to make people aware of what acupuncture

can do for them, a lot of people don't know. I don't agree with prepays

and the pressure to go to an in-office workshop. I do agree with

marketing, writng articles, ads in targeted papers, giving talks. I

don't agree with the heavy sales approach or screenings in front of

Walmart. I think it puts the acupuncture profession closer to the

chiro model and not the medical model. I think it can create a lot of

harm in the profession.(when word of prepays, aggressive marketing to

bring your friends in, in house workshops that are bordering on

manadatory) I do believe we need marketing and practice managment

companies in the acupunture world, but this one just doesn't sit well

with me.

 

For me, something along the the lines of what Honora's doing, Lynn

Grodski, How to Build Your Ideal Private Practice, with some coaching

and seminars in different cities would be good. I know Singer is doing

this. It's just too salesy and way overpriced. Just because there is a

10:1 return, doesn't mean you should have paid twice as much for your

house. It's price gouging (that's a legal term and I don't mean to

imply his rates are illegal) for a group of desparate people.

 

His work has helped practitioners I know that are in highly saturated

areas. They are taking what they need from Singer and discarding the

rest. I just can't ignore the rest.

 

My two cents.

 

Anne

 

DrGRPorter wrote:

 

>

> In a message dated 4/27/2005 6:30:51 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

> Doc writes:

>

> OK Y'all asked for it so here are my non wisdom, non

> secrets;

>

> Start by asking yourself one question why are you

> doing Acupuncture, is it your career or your passion?

> If your goal is money skip this and go to one of

> Singer's seminars. He will teach you how to make

> money

>

>

> Dear Dr. Don Doc Rosen:

>

> I read the rest of your posting also. Not one thing you have said in

> it is

> either inconsistent with Singer seminars nor is anything you have said

> not

> taught or touched upon in a Singer seminar. I found the curriculum

> there to be

> at a pretty high level of ethics. Others on the list have also

> mentioned that

> with vigorous passion for what one is doing, comes a following of

> patients.

> Singer helps ring this out in healers.

>

> On the other hand, one could still do all the things that you have

> mentioned

> and fail in the business of their profession if they do not follow

> prudent

> business practices, advertise and do so many of the things that must

> be done

> in 21st century America, as opposed to the wandering Shao Lin priest

> model of

> healing. (not to say that you were espousing this.)

>

> I have to wonder if you actually took Singer's courses or just heard

> about

> them?

>

> The reason I am adamant about this is that I believe that if

> acupuncturists

> as a whole were more financially successful, they would be taking a

> big step

> towards establishing and protecting the profession for years to come. If

> everyone follows a practice model that is " off the grid, " then much of

> the good

> that can be done for people, sadly will not be done for them.

>

> GR Porter

>

>

>