 | Chiropractic Practices: 56% Don't Have What 40 Million Americans Want
By Frank Urino |
Over the years, it’s always been very clear that massage therapy and chiropractic go hand in hand. But, it wasn’t until recently that I found out how big the demand actually is for massage therapy. So, in the next 2 minutes, here is what I’ll cover: • How many people get massages each year…and…surprisingly, how many chiropractors missing out on this... • The most cost efficient way to offer massage (if your practice fits the right profile). Massage Fits Chiropractic Massage therapy has historically been used to help reduce muscle spasms, increase circulation, relieve muscle tension and soreness, and help manage chronic pain. Sounds like this fits standard chiropractic care pretty well to me. Plus…it always made perfect sense why most chiropractic patients, who I knew were looking for a drug-free, hands-on approach to rehab or chronic pain management to begin with, would want it as a part of their treatment plan. As a chiropractor who treats these patients every day, it’s probably easy for you to see why massage might be something that your patients would benefit from, however more importantly….do you know many people in the US actually receive massages each year, I have to say, I was more than a little surprised… 40 Million Person Marketplace After spending some time digging through the AMTA’s website, this statistic reached out and grabbed me: 40 million people in the US received a massage last year alone. I thought about it for a minute…and…that means last year, one in every six American adults received a massage. Huge opportunity for you right? 40 million people? Naturally, I also wanted to know how many chiropractors are cashing in on this opportunity. So, I dug a little further, and found the next piece of the puzzle. In a recent Chiropractic Economics survey, they reported that only 44.5% of all chiropractic business practices have an LMT on staff. Hmmm…so, less than half of all practicing chiropractors offer massage.
This is great news if you are one of the smart ones who DO offer massage, but I want to know why more than 1 out of 2 doctors DON’T offer something that 40 million people are demanding. So, the 40 million dollar question is… Are you listening to what 40 million people want? If you don’t offer massage now, there may very well be a valid reason that I’m missing. Maybe…you don’t want to hire another employee. Maybe…you’re worried that your patients may be uncomfortable getting undressed and touched by a stranger. Maybe…you aren’t making enough to afford a full time massage therapist. These concerns may be valid, because no one knows your business better than you. But, all that being said…at the end of the day, are you sure you want to ignore something that 40 million people are already asking for? Since most business people want to talk about the dollars and cents, let’s get straight to it. How much does it (or should it) cost you to provide massage therapy? The average annual salary for a licensed massage therapist is $23,914 (about $92 per day if you’re open 5 days a week, 8 hours per day). Now, forking out twenty-three thousand dollars is likely a pretty wise investment for you, because you should be able to make that back several times over in a year. But, in today’s world, you know there is always a better (and less expensive) way… If you have 30 more seconds, I’ll explain how you can offer massage at less than a quarter of the cost of hiring a massage therapist… Dr. Fuller Royston (from Winston Salem, NC) did it. Here's how: - “In fact, I moved my massage therapist to put the AquaMED in.”
- “Massage therapists get sick; have maternity leave…things happen. This doesn’t happen with the AquaMED.”
- “The AquaMED is much more reliable than a massage therapist.”
- “I would recommend this bed to any doctor who wants to add an element of massage to their practice, without having to add another person.”
- “I truly believe that the AquaMED is a huge practice builder.”
- “I’ve heard patients say that the AquaMED feels like a 15 minute hug”
- “After using the bed, patients go home and tell their friends and family members about this bed that makes them feel like they are “floating in heaven”.
- “It brings in about $600 per day to our practice…which equates to over $150,000 in extra revenue for my practice per year”
You can do it too. It's very simple. Click here to read what else he said. More and more, I’m hearing from chiropractors who are using AquaMED systems to provide a faster, more efficient form of massage as AquaMED treatments are generally 15 minutes or less, and the patient doesn’t have to disrobe or get touched by a stranger. And…the best part is...rather than paying an LMT $92 per day, an AquaMED only costs you $20 per day. Click here to see an AquaMED System. AquaMED versus an LMT If you’ve already experienced an AquaMED session, you know how powerful it can be in your practice. The feedback you’ll hear sounds like this… “I hear ‘I never felt so good in my life, that massage was amazing…when can I make my next appointment?’” -Dr. Anthony Bianchi, DC Click here to read more. For those of you who aren’t familiar with AquaMED, here is a quick comparison between AquaMED and traditional massage. | AquaMED | Massage Therpist | | Massage Type | High Powered Dry Hydrotherapy | Traditional Hands-On Massage | | Average Massage Length | 10 - 15 Minutes | 30 + Minutes | | Potential Daily Workload | 24 Hours | < 8 Hours | Personnel Costs (401k, vacation, health, sick time) | N/A | Yes | | Approximate Cost Per Day | $20 | > $92 |
Now, before I get a lot of angry calls from your LMTs…if you have an LMT on staff, I’m not advocating that you read this and immediately hand them a pink slip. Traditional hands-on massage is an important part of chiropractic and it will always have a place in any modern practice. Many of our doctors package both services together, commonly using AquaMED before traditional “hands-on” massage. Plus…if you do package AquaMED with hands-on massage, AquaMED can be used to relax muscle guarding and spasms prior to the LMT seeing the patient. This makes their massage easier and more effective…and…saves their hands a lot of work. However, now that you know about the demand for massage, and a faster, lower cost way to offer it, you owe it to yourself… (And…the 40 million people who want it) to consider using AquaMED in your practice. So, here is what you do. Click here and write “Send me the $20 per day massage info” in the comments section. You’ll get all of the info you need. P.S. For chiropractors who qualify, the cost of AquaMED may actually be lower than $20 per day. You may be eligible to have an AquaMED in your practice for as little as $10 per day. Call 1-800-699-1008 or Click here and ask for details.
QUOTABLES
• Dr. Curt Draeger, Wisconsin: “Hands down, the AquaMED is a TON better than an MT because…” Click here to read more • Dr. Larry Haberski, Georgia: “…this in the ONE therapy that people want to continue and…” Click here to read more • Dr. Robert Dale, Louisiana: “…new patients have said ‘my neighbor told me about this hydrotherapy bed’...” Click here to read more • Dr. Jack Lynady, Florida: “Even patients from other chiropractic offices come to my practice just to use the bed…” Click here to read more • Dr. Michael Taub, New York: “I discovered shortly after purchasing the AquaMED that I had actually just purchased an associate for my practice.” Click here to read more • Dr. Mark Schmall, Illinois: “It is the perfect employee; it doesn’t call in sick, it works its hardest everyday and it doesn’t need a vacation!” Click here to read more |
