Spinal decompression therapy is an exciting modern medical treatment for back and neck pain due to a variety of conditions. There is a large body of research supporting the effectiveness of spinal decompression in relieving pain and symptoms. However, many doctors, clinics, marketing companies, and equipment manufacturers actually go overboard in extolling the benefits of decompression! Arrogant and exaggerated decompression ads give spinal decompression a bad rap it doesn’t deserve. Health care providers must ensure that their spinal decompression advertising and marketing does not make promises that they cannot keep.
Don’t get me wrong, I have seen first hand proof that spinal decompression works. I have seen many patients stray from the path of medication and surgery thanks to spinal decompression and conservative chiropractic care. Although I believe in spinal decompression, I also know that it has limitations. Spinal decompression is not a magic bullet for everyone. It is not an instant, guaranteed fix for herniated discs or back pain. Marketing decompression as if it were is simply unethical. While that may seem obvious, we should always be aware of the message our spinal decompression marketing is sending.
I understand that most healthcare providers don’t do their own marketing. Most simply pay someone else to design and run it. That’s still no excuse for not taking a critical look at their ads and the statements they make. The doctor or healthcare provider is ultimately responsible for the content of their advertising. When it comes to state board regulations, you can’t pass the buck. How often have you come across a spinal decompression ad that makes bold claims about curing such and such a condition? How often have you read an advertisement that you KNEW violated state board rules or other regulations? More importantly, are you running these ads yourself? Although an advertisement can be effective in generating new patients, it can still be a potential problem.
For example, about a month ago, while traveling to attend a seminar, I came across a simple and well-designed unzip ad. It was very convincing and ended with a strong offer and a call to action. I had no doubt that it was a very effective ad. My problem was with the headline, which went something like: “Spinal Decompression Can Eliminate Your Back Pain From Bulging or Herniated Discs…Without Medication or Painful Surgery!” I have also come across some advertisements that flatly state that spinal decompression is a non-surgical CURE for back pain. These types of ads can end a practice in hot water. It is also my personal opinion that these ads are dishonest and unethical. You may not share my concerns, but look at what these ads are actually telling the prospective patient.
Let’s look at the first sample ad. The ad claims that spinal decompression CAN eliminate back pain. It does not say that it could, or that it is a possibility. It says it CAN. Now we could part the hair here and debate the meaning of “can”. Some would argue that the use of “can” simply implies that decompression has the potential to eliminate back pain. I agree that it is a possibility, but I do not want my state board or a court to interpret the meaning of my advertising content. I think a much better option would be a statement like “spinal decompression Can can help relieve pain and symptoms. . . no drugs or surgery.” This may not be as catchy as the original headline, but it conveys the same message and does it ethically. No promise. Without directly stating so, the ad also tells a reasonable person that spinal decompression is NOT it is always an option and is NOT always effective.
Another concern with that first example ad is the word “remove.” Is it really ethical to talk about ELIMINATING pain or symptoms? A statement like that can set false expectations on the part of new decompression patients. Patients will come in expecting the elimination of their pain and symptoms, when the honest truth is that we have no idea if the treatment will be effective. Wouldn’t the word “reduce” or “alleviate” be a much better option than “eliminate”? As you can see, you have to choose your wording carefully when you advertise. Changing a word or two in your ad copy can lead to a potential problem. Although an error may be an honest oversight or miscommunication between the advertiser and the provider, it does not relieve the physician of any liability.
The second type of ads I mentioned were those overconfident ads that boast that spinal decompression can cure back pain or herniated discs. Yes, these ads exist. I have seen them with my own eyes. I still cringe when I read them. A health care provider should not advertise that he can cure anything with spinal decompression. These types of ads are flatly unethical and illegal. They are detrimental to the prospective patient because they make claims that are simply not true! I usually give these doctors the benefit of the doubt and assume they just haven’t looked carefully at what their ads say.
It may seem like it’s all too easy to accidentally cross into the world of unethical and dishonest spinal decompression advertising. This may be true, but it’s also just as easy to prevent this from happening. Here are 10 easy tips to ensure your spinal decompression marketing is effective and ethical:
- To be informed.
- accept responsibility
- control your enthusiasm
- don’t promise anything
- use common sense
- Put yourself in the place of the future patient
- Patients before earnings
- Your competition is not a role model
- Be consistent
- Control Costs
1. Be informed
Know the laws of your state and any other applicable rules and regulations. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Do your homework and make sure your spinal decompression marketing ticks all the boxes. Do not leave gray areas that are open to interpretation.
2.Accept responsibility
You already know this, but it bears repeating. Ultimately, the doctor or provider is responsible for the advertising they post. Don’t expect a marketing company, media outlet, or anyone else to accept responsibility for your mistakes. In the end, YOU, as the healthcare provider, are responsible for the content of your advertising. It is YOUR license and reputation that is at stake. Trade ethically or don’t trade at all!
3. Control your enthusiasm
We both know spinal decompression is great. As healthcare providers, we are convinced that spinal decompression can help our patients. It is important to remember to keep our passion and confidence in decompression in check. Communicate your confidence in decompression, but remember that nothing is guaranteed. This brings us to tip number four.
4. Don’t promise anything!
Do yourself and your patients a favor: don’t make promises you can’t keep. Don’t advertise that spinal decompression can definitely cure, stop, or eliminate anything. If you want to make the claim that spinal decompression can do these things, I think you’re treading in much safer waters!
5. Use your common sense
I have faith that we all possess at least some degree of common sense. Use it! If something seems like a gray area or a bad idea, it probably is! Stop and think about the impact any form of advertising will have on you and your practice before you execute it. Test and visualize the potential positive and negative impacts of an ad before committing. Following tip number six, help here.
6. Put yourself in the potential patient’s shoes
It’s easy to assume that others know what we’re trying to convey in our advertising. We see the benefits of spinal decompression every day, so we have a skewed point of view. One of the best ways to critically evaluate your spinal decompression marketing is to look at each and every advertisement from the outsider’s point of view. Imagine that you are a prospective patient who knows nothing about spinal decompression. Take a look at your ads and interpret them from an outsider’s point of view. What does your marketing say? Do you make promises? Can the ad be misconstrued and taken too literally? It is often beneficial to enlist the help of a friend or family member with this step.
7. Patients before profits
This one is simple. Remember that the main goal is to help patients and improve their quality of life. The goal is not to make as much money as possible. Profit is a factor in the equation, but it shouldn’t be the driving force behind your marketing. One of the fastest ways to start trading unethically is to trade just to make money. Focus on bringing patients into your practice that you want to help. When you trade with the ultimate goal of helping people get out of pain and back to enjoying a better quality of life, you’ll be amazed at how much profit you make. Your spinal decompression will be ethical and you will still make money. Position yourself as a doctor who truly cares about his patients and those patients will reward you.
8. Your competition is not a role model
Never trust your competitor’s advertising to tell you what is legal and ethical. The fact that Dr. Jones of XYZ Clinic gets away with it does not meet that is acceptable. Focus on tips 1-7 and let the competition say what they want!
9. Be consistent
Make sure spinal decompression advertising and marketing maintains a central theme and message. At the very least, make sure your different ads don’t contradict each other. Don’t tell patients one thing on one and something totally different on the next. Maintaining consistency is key. If your ads send mixed messages, your audience may dismiss them as unethical junk that tells them what they want to hear instead of the truth.
10. Control Costs
What do costs have to do with ethical marketing? Nothing leads to unethical marketing faster than when a doctor exceeds his marketing budget. Think of it like the old familiar saying: “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” Panicking doctors who have spent too much on advertising often say and promise things they normally wouldn’t. When that expensive advertising that they can’t afford doesn’t work, the situation is often even more critical. These people may start using questionable marketing ethics in an effort to attract more patients. Never put yourself in this position. Set a marketing budget that is affordable. Know this budget and stick to it!
The tips above are ten easy ways to ensure your spinal decompression marketing is ethical. Unfortunately, many spinal decompression providers trade with questionable ethics. This is bad for your profession and a disservice to the patient. Health care providers owe it to their patients to market honestly. I hope I have shown that spinal decompression marketing can be effective and ethical. Follow the tips above, stay humble, and use your common sense. Every time I post an ad, I think of something my dad told me as a teenager: “Don’t let your mouth write a check your ass can’t cash!” That advice still applies today!