A Comprehensive Report from 600+ Chiropractic Professionals (Part 1)
Welcome to the future of chiropractic care! In 2024, the chiropractic community is thriving, a testament to the industry’s resilience, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to health and wellness.
Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or just starting out, these statistics and insights will help you align your practice with the evolving landscape of chiropractic care.
Learn how your peers are adapting to the shifting needs of patients and discover strategies that could set your practice apart. Whether it’s embracing new digital marketing techniques or refining patient experience, our survey offers a wealth of knowledge for chiropractors who want to excel.
Continue reading Part 1 of our survey report now and discover how you can turn these insights into action!
Inside You’ll Discover:
The Chiropractic Profession in 2024 – A Dynamic Community
Who’s Who: Demographics & Emerging Trends
The chiropractic field boasts a balanced age distribution, reflecting a stable industry primed for continual growth.
This balance indicates a healthy cycle of new entrants and seasoned professionals, ensuring a strong future for the profession.
Female Chiropractors on the Rise
With women making up almost 47% of the US workforce and 48% of the Australian workforce, it seems that women remain underrepresented as chiropractors in the profession at this time.
A closer look, however, reveals an encouraging trend: among chiropractors with 1-3 years of experience, the gender split is an even 50-50. This shift heralds a more inclusive and diverse future for the profession.
Aligning More than Spines:
A Career for Work/Life Balance
Chiropractic is not just a profession; it’s a lifestyle that complements
family life with a strong work/life balance.
Family-friendly Hours
Chiropractors Work Less Overtime
Chiropractors are far less likely to work overtime than the average worker in the US and Australia. According to a 2021 Gallup Poll, 41% of American workers reported working more than 45 hours a week and 38% of Australian workers report working more than 40 hours per week.
Our survey results reveal that only 26.4% of chiropractors work more than 40 hours a week, indicating a desirable work-life balance in the profession.
The Family That Works Together
A 2021 German study says that being “work-linked,” working in the same industry or profession as your partner, “increases satisfaction with life as well as income and job satisfaction.” That’s encouraging for the 31% of chiropractors who work with their partner!
Chiropractic Life Goes Well with Parent Life
With almost 80% of chiropractors surveyed having children, we can assume this is a family-friendly profession, which is supported by the hours worked and number of doctors working with their partner.
Family History of Chiropractic
We have to admit, this stat surprised us! We expected more second generation chiropractors since so many of us at Perfect Patients have chiropractor parents, partners, and siblings. But it’s exciting to see so many first generation chiropractors sharing the healing benefits of chiropractic care with their families and community.
Most interesting fact:
NONE of the chiropractors who reported being “very unsatisfied” with their chiropractic career had a family history of chiropractors. This suggests that having a support system of family members in the same field supports a thriving career and job satisfaction.
Chiropractors Love What They Do: Job Satisfaction is High
Americans report a job satisfaction rate of 62.3% and Australians report 78% job satisfaction. However, a whopping 98% of chiropractors worldwide are somewhat satisfied to very satisfied with their work!
More unique statistics about chiropractic career satisfaction:
- 31% of the chiropractors who are not satisfied also reported that they are struggling since the pandemic.
- 93% of chiropractors who are not satisfied in their careers do not have an associate in their office.
- 60% of the chiropractors who are not satisfied do NOT take insurance.
- 73% of the chiropractors who are not satisfied do NOT offer Payment Plans.
- 67% of unsatisfied chiropractors said that their patients were mentioning financial stress more often. Compare this to the very satisfied chiropractors where 49% reported that patients were mentioning financial stress.
Ultimately, it might be that unsatisfied chiropractors are in economically depressed areas.
Stay tuned for a separate article that deep-dives into the characteristics of the most satisfied chiropractors!
Chiropractic Businesses Post-COVID
The chiropractic industry isn’t just surviving; it’s showing remarkable resilience in these economically challenging times. Let’s dive into some eye-opening stats:
Chiropractors report that a staggering 50% of patients are mentioning heightened financial stress. Yet, this is still notably lower than the US national average reported by CNBC, where 74% of Americans are feeling the financial squeeze.
What does this mean for your chiropractic practice?
Opportunity.
While the 50% mark is higher than we’d like, it’s a clear indicator that chiropractic services are perceived differently –
and more favorably – than general economic sentiment. This is a silver lining, but also a call to action.
Maximizing Value in a Challenged Economy: Your Strategy
The question on the table: How can we, as chiropractic professionals, increase the perceived value of chiropractic services? How do we educate the public more effectively about the indispensable benefits of chiropractic care, especially in tough economic times?
The answer lies in strategic, patient-centered communication and marketing. This is where your website, social media presence, and patient engagement strategies play a crucial role. By enhancing your digital footprint with compelling, educational content and personalized patient outreach, you can not only retain existing patients, but also attract new ones who are re-evaluating their health priorities in this new economic reality.
Therefore, the current economic landscape presents not just challenges, but significant opportunities for the chiropractic community. By understanding patient concerns and adapting strategies accordingly, you can emerge stronger and more connected to your patient base.
The Patient Pipeline:
How is New Patient Flow?
This is more than just data; it’s a story of success and untapped potential.
The Growth Opportunity:
A Market Ripe for the Taking
What stands out is the clear potential for growth in the chiropractic industry. While a healthy majority are consistently booked, there’s a palpable appetite for expanding patient bases. This isn’t just about filling appointment slots; it’s about expanding your reach to those who are still unfamiliar with the benefits of chiropractic care.
The fact that 35% of chiropractors are actively seeking more patients underscores a significant opportunity. This is where targeted marketing, refined digital strategies, and community outreach come into play. It’s not just about attracting patients; it’s about educating and engaging a broader audience, turning skeptics into believers, and occasional visitors into regulars.
Established Practices vs. New Horizons
Diving deeper, we find that 65% of those who “do not need more new patients” have the advantage of over 20 years in the field, showcasing the power of a well-nurtured patient base over time. Longevity may breed stability, but it raises a question for newer practices: How can you accelerate this journey towards a consistently busy schedule?
The answer may lie in innovative, patient-centric marketing strategies. By leveraging SEO-optimized website content, compelling social media campaigns, and personalized patient communication, you can fast-track your way to a full appointment book.
In essence, whether you’re a seasoned practice or a fresh face in the chiropractic world, there’s always room to grow. It’s about harnessing the right strategies to connect with more patients, build your practice, and make a lasting impact on community health.
The Pandemic’s Lasting Impact
The chiropractic community has weathered the pandemic storm, and the outlook is a blend of triumphs and challenges. Here’s what chiropractors are saying about their current state compared to pre-pandemic times:
This data paints a picture of an adaptable and resilient profession, yet one that still faces its share of post-pandemic hurdles.
Overcoming Post-Pandemic Challenges
For those in the struggling bracket, the effects of the pandemic linger. 72% reported that their patients are mentioning financial stress more than ever and 88% say they need new patients ASAP.
Interestingly, a common thread among the struggling practitioners is a minimal investment in digital marketing – 60% are spending less than $250 per month. While correlation doesn’t equal causation, this does highlight a potential area for improvement. For practices facing challenges, reevaluating marketing strategies might be a key step in attracting new patients and rejuvenating their practice.
A Comparative Look at Website Success
Among Groups
- Of the 40% of chiropractors who are doing better than ever…
- 100% have a practice website
- 77% report that their website is generating new patients
- 53% report that their website is ranking in the top 3 positions in Google search results
- 27% do not know how their website is ranking
- Of those who are struggling…
- 97% have a practice website
- 55% report that their website is generating new patients
- 23% report that their website is ranking in the top 3 positions in Google search results
- 39% do not know how their website is ranking
From a digital marketing perspective, this highlights the impact of a high-converting website that is ranking well and staying involved in your website and digital marketing to ensure you know how it’s performing and you’re seeing a return on your investment.
Trends Among Those Thriving –
A Deep Dive Into Fully Booked Chiropractors
We looked at the data around those who reported that their practice is doing “better than ever” since the pandemic or who reported being fully booked and not needing new patients to spot insights and trends among those doing well.
Insights Into Successful Chiropractors
What Sets the Busiest Chiros Apart?
Experience Matters.
90% of these successful chiropractors have been in practice for eight or more years, demonstrating the value of experience and reputation in the field.
First Generation and Focused.
14% have a family history of chiropractors, a little more than the overall average.
Associateship Advantage Unclear.
49% completed an associateship, which is on par with the average overall.
Insurance and Financial Factors.
70% accept insurance and 54% offer payment plans. Each of these stats is only a couple of points higher than the overall average, indicating they may not be significant factors in having a fully booked schedule.
However, only 33% report patients feeling financially stressed compared to the overall average of 52%, indicating these practices may be in a more financially stable area.
Decoding Digital Marketing –
A Key Differentiator in Chiropractic Success?
Only 37% of the most successful chiropractors reported managing their own digital marketing compared to 49% overall. Similarly, only 25% of thriving chiropractors run their own Google Ads, whereas 40% of all chiropractors reported running their own Google Ads campaigns.
What do these numbers tell us? There may be a mindset shift among the most successful practitioners regarding time and money investment in digital marketing.
This trend suggests that top-performing chiropractors prioritize their time differently, often opting to delegate digital marketing to professionals. This delegation allows them to focus more on patient care and other core aspects of their practice. Meanwhile, others might prefer a more hands-on approach, balancing patient care with managing their digital presence.
The key question for any chiropractor becomes: Where is your time most effectively spent? If managing your digital marketing is taking you away from patient care or other vital areas, it might be time to consider if a shift in strategy could better serve your practice’s growth and success.
Charting the Path Forward
The resilience and adaptability demonstrated post-pandemic, the commitment to work-life balance, and the high levels of job satisfaction are all testaments to the strength and appeal of the chiropractic profession. However, challenges remain, particularly in leveraging digital marketing effectively and addressing the needs of those still recovering from the economic impacts of recent years.
This report has offered a snapshot of where the profession stands today, but the story doesn’t end here. Looking ahead, we are excited to bring you Part 2 of this series, where we will dive deeper into the strategies and practices that define the most successful chiropractors. We’ll explore how these practitioners are not just thriving in their careers, but also shaping the future of chiropractic care.
We’ll also share insights gleaned from the Associates, Chiropractic Assistants, and Office Managers who participated in the survey.
Together, let’s continue to explore, learn, and grow as we embrace the future of chiropractic care, a profession that continually proves its vital role in promoting health, wellness, and a balanced lifestyle.
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