As health practitioners, there is a perceived expectation we need to come up with a definitive diagnosis.
The actual reality around this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Hi, I’m Dr. Andrew Arnold (Chiropractor), Chiropractor and owner Cranbourne Family Chiropractic and Wellness Ctr.; Founder: The Million Dollar Wellness Practice.
Today I want to explode this myth and quite frankly, take the pressure off! You don’t need to deliver a definitive diagnosis whatever your skillset, training or experience.
So, let’s break this down. Firstly, your professional obligations around the diagnostic process does relate to your training. For example, Chiropractors, Osteopaths and GP’s are all classified as primary care. This means they are technically licensed to deliver a diagnosis. This doesn’t however, exempt other practitioners with different qualifications, e.g. Myotherapists, Naturopaths, Massage therapists etc.
The diagnostic process is exactly that, a diagnostic process. It’s a working model designed to help you, the practitioner arrives at an evolving, plausible rational way of thinking upon which you can form a solid treatment foundation.
This means every practitioner can follow this process.
What’s also important is how this is communicated to our clients. Like I said let’s take the pressure off! This means providing our clients with the clear understanding, this is a working diagnostics process where we work together to figure it out. This may involve referral for tests directly or indirectly or practitioner referral.
We also need to make it clear our treatment is always based on what we know. So, if we are waiting on a test result we may avoid certain treatments that may put our clients at risk.
Once we have all the information and have worked with the client for a short while, our working diagnosis will start to form.
I actively involve my patients in this process, a shared responsibility if you like. I open accept it may be revised and modified along the way and that’s completely reasonable.
In PART TWO, we’ll look at the mechanics of the working diagnostic model.
About the Author:
Dr. Andrew Arnold (Chiropractor) is the ‘Practice Leverage Expert’; Principal Chiropractor and owner, Cranbourne Family Chiropractic and Wellness Centre; Business Consultant; Founder, Million Dollar Wellness Practice. Andrew is married to Dr. Linda Wilson, the Stress Specialist and has two children, Isaac and Bella. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.