5 Easy Steps to 30 Years of Volume

Book Review by Steven Lavitan, DC, LAc

Title:

5 Easy Steps to 30 Years of Volume

Author:

Carl Parkerson, BS, DC, FICA

Publisher:

Parkerson Publishers, Inc., 2001

Type:

Hardcover, 292 pages

Price:

$79.50

Part #:

T-244

5 Easy Steps to 30 Years of Volume, by Dr. Carl Parkerson, is an interesting book about a subject that is taboo for the average practitioner: megavolume. Most of us consider 200-plus patients a day not only an unrealistic goal, but also an unethical one; two hundred visits a week is a more approachable goal for the majority of chiropractors. A close colleague of mine in Maryland sees more than 200 patients a week in fewer than 20 hours - in that case, my amazement becomes audible!

A segment of the chiropractic community routinely sees this type of patient volume. What they have in common is that they are often straight chiropractors, and they are associated with Dynamic Essentials (DE). Dr. Parkerson fits this mold.

No discussion of this group can be complete without touching on Dr. Parkerson's mentor, Dr. Sid Williams. As the founder of DE and Life Chiropractic College, past president of the ICA, and philosopher and motivator extraordinaire, Dr. Williams is one of the most influential chiropractors of the 20th century. Dr. Parkerson does not have Dr. Williams's renown, but he does have his desire to see chiropractors properly adjust the whole world. Some of his beliefs are sophomoric, but his raw desire and sincerity comes through strongly.

In comparison to other noted practice procedure books (Parker's, DE's, etc.), Dr. Parkerson's book is superior because it deals with the chiropractor's belief system. Although there are many procedural ideas and dialogue, the essence of it all works best when aligned with the chiropractor's heart and soul.

Dr. Parkerson's work is avuncular. In one of the most poignant sections, he describes how he took a colleague's son who was selling insurance and showed him what he does as a chiropractor. The young man had never been fully exposed to chiropractic; once he was, he became a chiropractor himself.

Also included is a particularly interesting chart developed by Dr. Parkerson that allows patients to easily understand the relationship between health and getting adjusted. In relatively short order, patients can learn a fundamental truth about health and responsibility that otherwise might take much longer.

This brings us to the essence of this book. Dr. Parkerson has supreme certainty about chiropractic - his life is a demonstration of that fact. He shares mechanisms that have worked for him and allow the willing chiropractor to jump to larger volumes. His approaches are effective at conveying knowledge of chiropractic quickly to the patient. He believes with all his heart that rational people, knowing what our art is capable of, will desire it for themselves and their loved ones for a lifetime.

It is tricky to review this book in terms of its appeal to all chiropractors; after all, it's written by and for straight chiropractors. Little consideration is given to the rest of us. However, it still rates a solid 9 because it has more humanity than any other practice-building book I have read.

Dr. Lavitan's rating:

9 out of 10