Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should: A Chiropractor's Guide to Using Technology Wisely

Years ago, I tried something in my own practice that seemed like an obvious win: a 24-hour call center to make sure every call got answered. It made sense on paper. It failed in practice, and not for the reasons you'd expect. In this episode, I tell the full story of why the call center didn't work, what it taught me about the relational nature of chiropractic, and how that exact same lesson applies to the AI tools showing up in chiropractic offices today. I walk through a real conversation I had with a client who was being pitched a dynamic phone number system, essentially the modern, automated version of the same mistake I made years ago. From there, I lay out a simple principle for evaluating any technology in your practice: if it's only benefiting you and not your patients, it's worth reconsidering. I break that principle into two practical questions, transparency and frequency, and use some uncomfortable personal examples, including my own dentist, to show what happens when a practice gets either one wrong. This episode is not anti-technology. I use AI constantly in my own work. It's about making sure the tools you adopt strengthen the doctor-patient relationship instead of quietly eroding it. Topics Covered - The full call center story: why it seemed smart, why it failed, and what I'd do differently - Why chiropractic's high-touch, relational nature makes it different from most other businesses adopting automation - The dynamic phone number example and why "the technology exists" isn't the same as "you should use it" - The core principle: if the technology only benefits you, reconsider it or change it - Transparency: why patients should always know when they're interacting with technology, not a person - Frequency: how to tell the difference between helpful outreach and harassment - A real example of a raving fan turning into a lost patient because of over-automated follow-up - Why marketing advice built for mass audiences (Gary Vee, Dan Kennedy style "mail until they buy or die") does not translate to a practice with a few hundred patients - How to evaluate your own practice's current automation honestly If you want a free look at your website and local search, request a review at RocketChiro.com. If you want more help with the business and marketing side of practice, check out my Next Step program at RocketChiro.com.