The Value of the Chiropractic Assistant
Sometimes it can get overwhelming for chiropractic professionals who are treating a large body of patients in a small practice. It can become difficult for the chiropractor to ensure that he or she is giving the right amount of time for all of the patients who walk through the door, and it can also be difficult for the practice managers and administrators to deal with all of the financial tasks that come along with a large patient population.
Overall, with the increase in popularity of chiropractic care comes a substantial burden placed on the chiropractic clinic to meet the needs of the community. So where can a chiropractic clinic turn?
Hiring a chiropractic assistant can ease the workload of a given chiropractor and facilitate the workings of a chiropractic clinic in a much more smooth fashion. The job of the chiropractic assistant is quite multi-faceted. The chiropractic assistant has to be flexible with the ability to perform multiple tasks within the clinic in a given day. The assistant may start the day working on some HIPAA compliance work then move to scheduling and by the end of the day, the assistant could be taking phone calls and managing insurance claims.
Depending on the preferences of the chiropractor or chiropractors in the clinic, the chiropractic assistant may also play a role in patient interaction. The assistant could be tasked with taking a patient’s vitals, figuring out why the patient is visiting the clinic today, performing intakes, and anything else that can assist the chiropractor in getting their job done. They may also assist patients with therapies such as ultrasound or EMS. A busy practice may not permit the chiropractor to take the time to perform these tasks, so it may be up to the chiropractic assistant to figure out how they can fill in an ease the workload of the chiropractor.
Many other medical fields hold the medical assistant to high regard, and chiropractic care should be no different. With the right strategy, a chiropractic clinic could incorporate the use of one of a series of chiropractic assistants into the workings of the clinic. In doing so, they are adding a few new tools to the toolbox to help the practice run in the best way possible. In addition, the assistant may grow to enjoy their job and perhaps begin training to become a doctor of chiropractic!
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