The Consultation Step Two: Setting The Stage By W. Karl Parker, B.A., D.C., F.I.C.C., F.A.C.C. behapy@karlparkerseminars.com Once you have established enough enduring rapport with the patient and are ready to begin the data gathering portion of the consultation, we recommend you first „Set The Stage¾. This is an integral and important part of becoming a true DC (Doctor of Chronics) and in educating your patients about what you do and what chiropractic is. „Setting The Stage¾ refers to the standard basically scripted introduction you should give to every patient just before you start the actual consultation. This few paragraphs of words that you create to fit you and your practice purposes will „set the stage¾ for what is to come and help the patient understand what is to come. It is also designed to give the patient a basic understanding of what you do and what chiropractic is and to help them feel very comfortable with you and your approach to their health problem. We will present in this training series article a basic concept to give you some ideas about how to create yours. As we go over this script, we will make parenthetical comments of explanation and then reproduce the entire script again at the end so you can re-read it with continuity. OKä here we go: „Before we begin discussing your health situation, let me explain our objectives so you¼ll better understand the best and fastest way to get to feeling better again (They are only interested in relief at this point, so we let them know that the way we do things is the best way to get out of pain). „Science has proven that the philosophy of chiropractic is correct (there are many many studies proving our system of health care works so you can say this with conviction). Chiropractic philosophy says that there is an Innate wisdom of the body that is your body¼s best doctor. When that natural healing ability of the body becomes interrupted, blocked or interfered with, then health problems occur. Our job is to find what is preventing your body from functioning normally and to help your body heal itself and restore it to normal function. By doing so, we not only find and correct the cause of your health problem which reduces the possibility of your pain coming back but we will get you the relief you are looking for the fastest way possible (additional reinforcement that you will do all you can to get them relief). Option to add at this point- „See this poster? It says that åthe power that made the body heals the body¼, which is very true. It also says åChiropractic releases the healing power within¼ and we do that by finding and eliminating the interferences to your natural health, which become the causes of major health problems. (Using a poster is getting outside third party support of your statement just made. It is in printä it must be true! This poster is presented to you at your first KPS seminar you attend as a ChiroSource memberä FREE!) „One of the main interferences we will be looking for is called a subluxation. A subluxation, simply explained, is a misaligned bone that is creating an irritation, pressure or interference of the nerves or other systems in the body that prevent the body from healing itself and working the way it was suppose to. „We will go through a step-by-step process to discover what is wrong with you and what we can do about. If at any point, we feel we can¼t help you, we will refer you to someone we think who can (shows integrity). Our evaluation process may includeä (whatever you normally do ‚ EX: an orthopedic exam of your bones, a neurological exam of your nerves, a kinesiological exam of your muscles, a chiropractic exam of your spine and joints and possibly some pictures of your spine so we can really see what¼s wrong). If we feel we can help you, we will recommend a health care program aimed at removing the interferences or problems you may have in order to help you to return to good health (you tell them upfront you will be recommending a åhealth care program¼ if you accept them as a patient). „Does all this make sense to you? (Nod your head in the affirmative to encourage them to do the same thing) Good! Then lets start at the beginning and figure out how your body¼s interferences are producing your (symptoms). Now, show me, exactly where does it hurt?¾ As you say this last sentence, lean forward preparing to take a close look at their symptom. As they start pointing out the symptom areas, touch them as the patient does and make sure the patient agrees that you have touched the exact spot by getting them to say „That¼s it!¾ This procedure will go a long way in gaining greater acceptance by your patients of your recommendations and along with the many other procedures we are training you to do, will help to get them to follow through with the health care plan you present to them. Below is the Setting The Stage script in its entirety: „Before we begin discussing your health situation, let me explain our objectives so you¼ll better understand the best and fastest way to get to feeling better again. „Science has proven that the philosophy of chiropractic is correct. Chiropractic philosophy says that there is an Innate wisdom of the body that is your body¼s best doctor. When that natural healing ability of the body becomes interrupted, blocked or interfered with, then health problems occur. Our job is to find what is preventing your body from functioning normally and to help your body heal itself and restore it to normal function. By doing so, we not only find and correct the cause of your health problem which reduces the possibility of your pain coming back but we will get you the relief you are looking for the fastest way possible. „See this poster? It says that åthe power that made the body heals the body¼, which is very true. It also says åChiropractic releases the healing power within¼ and we do that by finding and eliminating the interferences to your natural health, which become the causes of major health problems. „One of the main interferences we will be looking for is called a subluxation. A subluxation, simply explained, is a misaligned bone that is creating an irritation, pressure or interference of the nerves or other systems in the body that prevent the body from healing itself and working the way it was suppose to. „We will go through a step-by-step process to discover what is wrong with you and what we can do about. If at any point, we feel we can¼t help you, we will refer you to someone we think who can. Our evaluation process may includeä If we feel we can help you, we will recommend a health care program aimed at removing the interferences or problems you may have in order to help you to return to good health. „Does all this make sense to you? Good! Then lets start at the beginning and figure out how your body¼s interferences are producing yourä Now, show me, exactly where does it hurt?¾