Like many businesses during these challenging economic times, profes-sional offices are under increasing pressure to operate as efficiently

and effectively as possible. Incorporating technology to streamline office procedures, as well as patient communication and mar-keting, promotes greater efficiency without compromising high standards of care.

In the current paradigm of patient-cen-tered care, consumers want to be at the core of the decision-making process regarding diagnostic testing and treatment. They are looking for guidance from their chiropractic team in the form of evidence-based options. This focus blends the doctor’s clinical exper-tise and research-proven diagnostic technol-ogy with the patient’s goals and preferences to establish the optimal course of action.

The role of the chiropractic technician is more critical than ever in nurturing the office-patient relationship and providing consistent and effective communication. Whether you are a front tech, exam tech, or financial tech, you are responsible for helping the patient feel comfortable with the array of tech-nology utilized in a modern chiropractic office. This means that you need to have a strong understand-ing of the technology to confidently communicate instructions, answer questions, and address any of the patient’s concerns.

We live in a world of infinite information. Prospec-tive patients show up at your office thinking that they already have the answers and do not want to waste their valuable time or money with unnecessary test-ing or treatment. According to a new Pew Research Center study, 81% of adults in the US use the inter-net and 59% say they have looked online for health information in the past year. Furthermore, 35% say they have gone online specifically to try to figure out the medical condition that they or someone they know might have.1

Immediate and anytime access to this endless knowledge base has helped create a society with a short attention span. Patients are so overstimulated that you’ve got to make your message short, visual, and personal to be considered. Attention cannot be bought through traditional marketing and advertising venues anymore; it must be earned.

The question every chiropractic office should ask is: How do I access potential patients and transmute this infinite amount of information into a concise, visual message that promotes comprehension and knowledge and motivates the patient to embrace chiropractic? The masses are no longer primarily reachable via a news release, headline, and front-page story. Now one-minute videos on YouTube or Snapchat photos capture attention. We have tran-sitioned from a print-based culture to a computer image-based culture. ʼ

Technology Is the Backbone of Patient-Centered CareBy Nancy Miggins, DC and David Marcarian, MA

Pat ients are so overstimulated that you’ve got to make your message short, visual, and personal to be considered.

4 I The Chiropractic Assistant Volume 1 , Issue 3, 2013

The good news is that surface electromyography (sEMG) meets the needs of both doctor and patient. With recent technological advances, it is a quick test to perform that provides objective, clinically relevant, reproducible data displayed as real-time test results in an easy-to-understand visual graphic. Unlike general pamphlets on the value of chiro-practic care, sEMG provides personal information relevant to spinal health.

With just a small amount of time spent learn-ing the basics, an exam tech will feel comfortable with the utilization of the technology. In addition, patients will love how the exam tech helps them understand their needs for chiropractic care. You are the “eyes and ears” for the doctor, and through the use of diagnostic technology and the patient’s response to it, you can help direct the doctor by providing valuable insight into the patient’s con-cerns and interests.

There are only three aspects to creating this special bond with both the doctor and the patient:

1. Competence in Testing: It is critical to follow proper testing protocol in order to obtain accurate and valuable clinical data. So it is imperative that the doctor invest in you through training. This means watching training videos on how to use the technol-ogy, and contacting the manufacturer and other experts for various training materials and articles. Also, take a training course in person if possible.

Next, practice conducting tests with your friends, family, and coworkers until you are completely comfortable. This is the best way to learn, much like when someone feels less pressure while learning to drive with a fam-ily member or friend. Don’t do too many tests on the same person because you will become frustrated at the lack of reproduc-ibility of data. Like a surgeon learning to use a scalpel, the first 30 or so tests are the “learn-ing” phase, and you should not expect great results. Just get the technique down.

Take the plunge! Start testing patients. To make you and the patient comfortable in the beginning, tell the patient, “We have this new NASA-designed technology, and we’re going to learn all about it together.” Saying some-thing like that is disarming for the patient, takes the pressure off you to have the test down perfectly, and, in some ways, may help distract the patient from the pain.

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6 I The Chiropractic Assistant Volume 1 , Issue 3, 2013

2. Understanding of Technology: StaticsEMG provides information about muscle firing while in the neutral posture. Taking only a minute or two to perform, this is the ideal quick screening tool. It shows the effect of subluxation on the muscles of the spine, along with postural influ-ence, short leg, and head forward position. At minimum, static sEMG is a form of electronic palpation, yet unlike palpation, it is objective.

Static sEMG displays an easy to interpret graphic to enhance patient awareness. Mod-ern versions of this device will immediately send the personal spine-specific graphic to the patient’s smartphone or iPad, reinforcing the visit and providing the patient with a means to justify the need for chiropractic to friends and family. Veterans Health Administration re-searchers have recently validated static sEMG as a tool for tracking patient progress.2 This determination further bolsters the importance of utilizing this technology as part of a routine examination or re-examination of the patient.

3. Simple Explanation of Results: Part of your role as an exam tech is to support the doctor by performing standard examination procedures and tests. You should not be expected to ex-plain the intricacies of test results. However, a general understanding of the data will give you great confidence in performing tests, an-swering general questions, and addressing any concerns that may arise from the patient. The manufacturer most likely can direct you to vari-ous forms of training on interpreting results.

Through proper training and skill development you will be able to view the data and determine accuracy of testing protocol. You will be able to relay basic findings to patients such as “red is bad” and “green is good.” It will be obvious to both you and the pa-tient when improvement has been made through the comparison of graphs.

In many ways, support staff members are perhaps the most appropriate “bridge” between the doctor and patient by using technology to establish the of-fice as one with great sophistication, as well as show patients in simple terms what most doctors turn into complex explanations that few patients, if any, can understand. Research indicates that patients only remember about 10-15% of what the doctor says.3 Your direct involvement can improve this statistic dramatically through the use of sEMG technology.

Distraction and multitasking are here to stay, espe-cially among young adults. Neilsen recently defined “Generation C” as adults between 18 and 34 years old who are entrenched in digital technologies.4 One of the greatest advantages of using colorful, visually stimulating displays of personalized spine-specific

information is that it helps keep patients with short attention spans focused long enough to get the point across to them. It also keeps them focused on function rather than symptoms. We all know that feeling better does not mean we should stop chiropractic care.

Technology is here to stay. The chiropractic of-fice must join in or fall behind. As a member of “Generation C,” the chiropractic technician‘s role is as important as the chiropractor in the modern chiropractic office. The CT intuitively understands and can explain the importance of technology to the patient.

By “driving” patient communication technology in your office, you will find both patients and the doctor will recognize you as invaluable.

References1. Health Online 2013. Fox, Susannah, Duggan, Maeve, Califor-nia Healthcare Foundation, Jan 15, 2013.

2. VAS Score Correlates with Static Surface EMG Signal Intensity in Chronic Spine Pain. Ambroz, Alex MD,VA Medical Center, Martinsburg, WV Ambroz, Clara MD, MPH, Disability Evaluation Services, Martinsburg,WV Zucker, Robert MD, MPH,VA Medical Center, Martinsburg, WV Benjamin, Eugene MD,VA Medical Center, Martinsburg, WVCaruso, Marianne RN,VA Medical Center, Martinsburg, WV. PAIN MEDICINE Volume 6, Number 2, 2005 p 28-29.

3. Training physicians to increase patient trust. Thom DH. J Eval ClinPract. 2000 Aug;6(3):245-53.

4. Introducing Generation C: Americans 18-34 are most con-nected., Nielsen Newswire, Feb 23, 2012.

Dr. Nancy Miggins has over 25 year’s clinical experience as a chiropractor. She excelled in the areas of procedures, ethical business practices and management. After spearheading the development of a integrative health and fitness center, she spent

6 years as director of this clinic. Although her main focus was in family practice, she also has aided Olympic Athletes and professional cyclists with optimizing sports performance through chiropractic. She is currently the Director of Clinical Applications & Product Development for Precision Biomet-rics, Inc. Contact at : Info@myovision.com or visit www.myovision.com or call 800-969-6961

David Marcarian, MA, founder of Precision Biomet-rics, and inventor of the revolutionary MyoVision 3G Wirefree PhysioMonitoring™ System. A former NASA researcher, Marcarian was awarded a $450,000.00 NIH grant to develop the MyoVision. As an expert

witness, Marcarian was credited one of the largest PI awards in US history, and established the validity of sEMG in a major State Superior Court Decision. Recently the AMA selected his 3G Wirefree System as the “tool of choice” as presented in the medi-cal text “The Practical Guide to Range of Motion Assessment”. Contact at : Info@myovision.com or visit www.myovision.com or call 800-969-6961

8 I The Chiropractic Assistant Volume 1 , Issue 3, 2013