Things We Know

Our movement is not only a change in the business model; it is a change in how to relate to other practitioners and patients. And it is part of the paradigm shift that is going on in this country.

We share – enthusiastically – from business plans and financial spreadsheets to forms, how to set up an Invisible Receptionist and treatment options. We share how to set up a community clinic. We share what we make and how many people we see in a week/month. We share brochures and patient handouts. We share marketing ideas.

We do this because we understand that scarcity is a myth. We know that there are enough patients who are able to afford our prices to keep all of us in business for a long time. We know our market is 3/5 of the population. We know that having another community clinic 3 blocks away only increases the awareness of the public that acupuncture is a form of health care – and apparently a popular one because there are two clinics around here now. We celebrate the opening of another new community clinic because we know that the people we know in that area will now be able to afford acupuncture.

We treat each other respectfully because we understand that what goes around comes around. If we want to be respected, we must act respectfully to others. We know that everyone working in an acupuncture clinic is there because his or her job is vital to the functioning of the clinic. All jobs and people doing them are valued and respected.

We respect our patients and their wisdom. We know that patients will ask for information if they want it. We trust that people know their bodies or will come to know them in the quiet of the treatment. We care passionately that they get better and we have confidence in our medicine because we have the experience of seeing people often. We know it works. We hear from patients that they like the community room treatments better than treatments where they are left alone in a room. We also hear that they like being able to leave their clothes on during treatment. And we hear that they are busy and don’t have time for us to try to be their friend, counselor or in other ways get our ego needs met by their visit.

We know these things because we found others doing them and tried it. And we liked it. We are finally and no longer alone, lonely and struggling in aculand.