30 Minute Treatment? - Thanks.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I appreciate it. Your feedback helps.

 

It is a matter of style/technique, thoroughness/detail, and it depends

on the case. I think in this situation it is a bit of all of them.

[Guest guest]

Hi Gina,

 

I think that if you have someone answering the phone, mixing the rx

collecting the money and rescheduling the pt., 30 minutes in and out

the door is plenty of time...It does not take that long to look at the

tongue, feel the pulse and ask relevant question and needle the

returning patient particularly in muscle-skeletal complaints.. New

patients longer periods, of course.

 

The problem I see is that most practitioners have created such an

ambiance in their clinic, that a visit an acupuncturist is associated

with time for relaxation and a little trip to " la la land " . Often, the

patient uses this time as a cathartic session, and since we are so

willing to listen, well, they carry on... But we've created this

environment for better or for worse.

 

In a busy Chinese clinic I used to work in, the lights were bright,

the " rooms " were separated by a curtain, the front desk was noisy and

people did not talk low.. It was busy practice nonetheless.

 

I work alone. Thus, the average time a returning patient spends in my

office is close to an hour..New patients a bit longer.. This gives me

time to review the case, write formulas, do the bodywork and answer

the phone and so on.. But it is not the most efficient way of running

a practice..

 

, " Gina Zuleger "

<gzuleger wrote:

>

>

>

> Thanks for the replies, everyone. I appreciate it. Your feedback

helps.

>

> It is a matter of style/technique, thoroughness/detail, and it depends

> on the case. I think in this situation it is a bit of all of them.

>

[Guest guest]

Great topic!

 

IIRC, Maciocia said that you need at least 20-30 minutes of retnetion

for that 'cycle' thingy mentioned to complete the function of the

needle. We learned the 50/60 minute routine in school, and many of

the profs from China also treated thusly when practicing in our clinic

with their own patients. With assistants, it's easier to push it a

little. I believe chiropractic (the Parker devotee ilk) influenced

acupuncturists probably are more likely to have the 'high volume or go

home' kind of attitude. Depends on what kind of practice you want.

It also depends on your patients. If you start off chatting up your

patients and spending the time with them, you will have a very hard

time cutting the time you spend with them. They'll smell something

fishy (a drop in quality) and you'll have to justify yourself. If you

start off with a high volume, low interaction type of practice, you'll

get those kind of patients who like that.

 

The other factor is if they are paying cash or insurance. Having had

both types of practices, is that people who don't have to pay for

treatment (or just a minor copay) don't value the service as much, so

it's more suited for a high volume practice. Now that I practice in an

area that has very little insurance coverage (a Godsend), people need

to feel like they get a good value for the cost of the service, and

results are not the only variable in perception of value of service.

 

Lastly, don't disrespect your patients in your decision. I find that

the Parker infulenced acupuncturists treat patients like cattle and

the parts of the country where it's rampant, legal battles are common

place. That's why I always say to cough up a little dough for an

attourney to evaluate your lease contracts if sharing space.

 

Good luck!

Geoff