Practicing Chiropractic: Lessons and Observations From Private Practice

Book Review by Jim Edwards, DC, DABCO, Lac

Title:

Practicing Chiropractic: Lessons and Observations From Private Practice

Author:

K. Jeffrey Miller, DC, DABCO

Publisher:

MPAmedia

Part #:

T-271

Dr. Miller is a gifted teacher and prolific writer, having had more than 100 of his articles published in 28 different periodicals. He is also the author of On-the-Job C.A.R.E., now in its third edition, and most recently, Practical Assessment of the Chiropractic Patient. He graduated from Palmer College in 1987, completed his orthopedics diplomat in 1992 through Parker College, and holds certifications in strength, personal training, and sports chiropractic. In addition to full-time practice, Dr. Miller has served on the postgraduate faculties of three chiropractic colleges and is experienced in the review and defense of chiropractic malpractice cases.

Practicing Chiropractic is divided into eight main sections: Getting Started, Procedures and Paperwork, Marketing, Patient Evaluation, X-Rays, Patient Education, Patient Care, and Potpourri. Each section is subdivided into chapters that deal with specific topics relating to the main heading. Many chapters are only one or two pages in length, but this is not a negative; Dr. Miller's writing style is concise while remaining conversational.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the material presented in Practical Assessment of the Chiropractic Patient, and having used many of Dr. Miller's ideas to update (read: improve) my exam procedures, I was excited to have the opportunity to review his newest work. Somewhere in the middle of reading Practicing Chiropractic, it occurred to me that a more appropriate subtitle might have been, "Everything You Should Know About Private Practice (but Didn't Know to Ask)." As the saying goes, "Experience is the best teacher, preferably other people's." This book is chock-full of tidbits of collective wisdom and practical knowledge gleaned from Dr. Miller's years in practice. This is a great addition to the chiropractic literature and is surely destined to make it onto the required reading list of every chiropractic college in the world. However, make no mistake: Seasoned practitioners will find a plethora of helpful tips as well.

As with Dr. Miller's previous works, this book is an extremely enjoyable read, with a balanced blend of practical applications, referenced articles, and humorous anecdotes mixed throughout. It would perhaps be over the top to say that this book covers "it all," but this reviewer would be hard-pressed to think of a topic worth mentioning that Dr. Miller has not covered here. Hyperbole aside, I can unequivocally guarantee that anyone who reads this book will find themselves either repeating the phrase, "That's what I thought" or "I should have thought of that" over and over and over. Read it and you'll see what I mean.

This book is absolutely worth your time and is equally valuable as a teaching tool for your staff. Assign each staff member a different chapter or section and have them give a short report at your next staff meeting. Offer a small prize to the staff member who comes up with the best "new" idea from reading this book. It will make your practice run smoother and reduce your stress levels. Now just go do it!

Dr. Edwards' Rating:

10 out of 10