257 The Future of Chiropractic

Welcome to the KC CHIROpulse Podcast. 

This week’s topic:  What does the future of Chiropractic hold for you?

The KC CHIROpulse Podcast is designed for Chiropractic professionals ready to elevate their practice to new heights.  This week, the show is hosted by Kats Consultants CEO Dr Michael Perusich, a seasoned expert in Chiropractic business management. Our Guest is Dr. Joseph Busch, with The American Chiropractor. This podcast provides invaluable insights and actionable strategies to help you create a flourishing and sustainable Chiropractic business.

In this first of two episode series, we discuss:
How the future of Chiropractic will change the profession
The age and gender changes happening in Chiropractic
Why there is a widening gap between the “haves” and the “have nots”
Why it is so important to start your exit strategy NOW
…and so much more…

In each episode of KC CHIROpulse, we delve into crucial aspects of building a successful Chiropractic practice, covering topics such as establishing a strong foundation, adopting a patient-centric approach, mastering marketing techniques, achieving financial fitness, fostering effective team building and leadership, integrating technology and innovation, and navigating common challenges in the field.

Whether you're a seasoned chiropractor or just starting your practice, the KC CHIROpulse Podcast offers a wealth of knowledge and personalized practical advice to help you navigate the intricate world of Chiropractic business. Join us on this journey as we explore proven strategies, share success stories, and connect with industry experts to empower you in your pursuit of building a thriving Chiropractic practice.

Don't miss out on the latest insights and expert guidance. Subscribe now and unlock the secrets to taking your Chiropractic practice to the next level. Your success is our priority at Kats Chiropractic Business Advisors.

DISCLAIMER:  The information presented in this broadcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to offer legal, investment, accounting, or medical advice, and represents the opinions of the speakers.  Seek the consultation of a professional for advice in those areas. And remember…your results using this information may be different than described.

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Transcript

257 The Future of Chiropractic

Meet Dr Joseph Busch

[00:00:00] 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Doctors, do you know what the future of chiropractic is? Hi, everybody. Welcome to the KC ChiroPulse podcast, brought to you by Kats Consultants and co-sponsored by Chiro Health USA. We're glad you're all here today.

We have a very special guest with us today. I'm super excited about this. We have, Dr. Joseph Busch. A lot of you probably know who he is. He's,, part of the American Chiropractor Magazine, which we all love, and, , Dr. Joe, thanks for being here today. How are you? 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Dr. Perusich, thanks for having me. I'm very excited.

I'm feeling good, and I, I listen to your podcast frequently on my Apple phone as I work out, so- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Perfect ... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: I know how this goes a little bit, although, you know, and I gotta... I know the bar is high to measure up to your- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Oh, no. Not at all. Not at all, and I've, I've been a guest on your podcast, the, Tac Tic Talk and which I- I love the name.

I love the name. And it's funny, at first, it didn't dawn on me that it was such a play on words. So it- it's, it's perfect, And I've always appreciated being on there, and, uh, listen to yours as well. So, you know, I think it's great that, [00:01:00] uh, we're just driving information into the profession, and it's just trying to give everybody a unique perspective on, you know, really where the profession is, and more importantly, where it's going.

So I was kinda hoping we'd talk about that today. But e- everybody listening today, Dr. Joe has this amazing resume. I mean, he is a mover and shaker in this profession. So I hope you tune in and listen closely today. But I gotta read you some things out of his bio real quick. So Dr. Joseph Busch, known to his patients as Dr.

Joe because he is a practicing chiropractor. He's a published editor and the founder of the Panama Chiropractic Health Center in Panama City, Panama. How cool is that? Over a career spanning more than 15 years in Latin America, he has become one of the region's most recognized figures in chiropractic medicine, blending clinical expertise with a lifelong commitment to advancing natural, non-invasive healthcare.

And if that wasn't enough, Dr. Busch was raised in a family where chiropractic was not simply a profession, it was their calling. In fact, his father, a [00:02:00] chiropractor himself, is who founded The American Chiropractor magazine in 1978, which is a publication that would go on to become the most widely circulated chiropractic magazine in the United States today, and there's always one sitting on the corner of my desk.

Growing up obviously immersed in chiropractic, Dr. Busch experienced firsthand the power of chiropractic care when, like a lot of us, as a young man, he became... He overcame chronic headaches through chiropractic treatment, an experience that would shape the course of his life. He earned his undergrad degree in chemistry from Indiana University, which is impressive, before going on to complete his Doctor of Chiropractic degree, later obtained his CCSP, and holds active licenses in the Republic of Panama, where he practices, and the state of Florida.

Go Florida. Beyond his clinical work, Dr. Busch has taken on a significant role in shaping the future of chiropractic education and standards across Latin America. And of course, through the magazine, they drive education every day. He [00:03:00] serves as president of the Council of Chiropractic Education, Latin America, and has been actively involved since 2018, working to raise the bar for professional competence, safety, and educational quality throughout the region.

Since 2006, Dr. Busch has served as editorial and managing director of The American Chiropractor, a role that keeps him in close dialogue with researchers, clinicians, and innovators. A committed educator, a public advocate, Dr. Busch regularly shares patient stories, clinical insights, and health education in both Spanish and English throughout social media, and we are super excited to have him here with us today.

And, uh, he's also, uh, part of the, uh, the American Chiropractor podcast show called Tac Tic Talk So, if you haven't tuned into Tac Tic Talk, which I'm sure you have, please make sure that you do. So Dr. Joe, amazing background. I mean, 

Dr. Joseph Busch: seriously- Wow, amazing narration. That was incredible, Dr. Perusich. I mean, I'm I'm honored that you read that and hearing it you know, it's just, uh, you know, this is something th- that- [00:04:00] Anyone who commits their life to a profession, you know, it sounds much more impressive than it is, right, when you're going through it.

Dr. Michael Perusich: Well, you've done some amazing things, and, uh, y- you guys as a family, y- you just, you- you've- you've not only touched the ground that chiropractic was founded on but you've continued to help it thrive and grow throughout the years. And, uh, that's impressive to me. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Thank you. Yes, we all show up, i- I do work to this day in the magazine with Jacqueline Foussard, my sister- Yep ... who's the publisher of the magazine, and JR Bush, my brother- Right ... on a daily basis. So he's- he's an account executive, works as a sales director, and, uh, we all, every day we're interacting. And so I don't think it would be as fun without having that kind of infrastructure where, you know, from- from when you're a child to- to growing and then- Sure

uh, you know, living it. Uh- ... my dad set the standard 50 years ago. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yep. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: And- and as we grew up, we just, it was a natural [00:05:00] evolution for us, and, uh, we love the English language. My mom was an English teacher- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Mm-hmm ... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: and she worked a lot with the editing back as a, in our childhood. And so, we always saw that, and it, and we would even go to seminars from a very young age, so- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Sure

Dr. Joseph Busch: it's- it's just a natural fit for us, you know? 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah. I love it. 

Chiropractic Shifts and Challenges

Dr. Michael Perusich: You know, and I think- I think there's something endearing about those of us that were touched by chiropractic early on in our lives before we ever thought about even becoming a part of the profession. And I- I hear a lot of doctors today who have entered the profession really without that touch point.

And I don't know how you feel about it, but, um, I, and I think it's great that anybody enters the profession, but I think there's just a difference in the heart just a little bit. It- it's kinda like we- we- we have a piece of chiropractic in us when we- when we were touched by it so early on, and your dad having been so involved in the profession had to be an amazing way to grow up.

Dr. Joseph Busch: Oh, it was, absolutely. But [00:06:00] it's- it's... absolutely what you're saying about, uh, the difference in the chiropractor that enters today versus 50 years ago, 40 years ago, it's completely changed. Mm-hmm. Because now it's more of a career decision, and in my opinion- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yep ... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: and it's like a life choice, 50 years ago.

This is, and there's a l- a left and a right, or whichever direction you wanna say, and there's, I mean, it was very aggressive to be a chiropractor, and- and the philosophical choices that one made in order to go into that as a- as a career. And- and there was a lot of scrutiny, you know? It's not- Sure

it's not an easy profession to get into, even today. But using natural methods to overcome disease and- and enhance health and healing is- is something that is- It's an undertaking, right? You're, you're, you wanna help the body express itself maximally, and, uh, it's not something open to everyone. Even the insurance companies today don't cover it.

You gotta work your way through the [00:07:00] school back in the day. Like, when my dad went to school in Palmer, I mean, he was playing the guitar doing f- doing rock shows on the weekend or whatever. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: I love it. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: To me, my mom was a, was a teacher at a school there in Davenport and, uh, today we have, we have struggles, right?

We have, uh, health- or we have student loans that we have to engage in, so. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Right. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: For us, my dad would always talk to us about, uh, not only personal growth, but, health decisions and how your body is the temple of the living God, right? That was kind of a message that he would always propagate.

Mm-hmm. And, you know, this is the most important thing we have, and so if... The body is designed to heal itself, and, uh, that just stuck with me, right? So when, when a person's going through their life trying to figure out, "Well, w- where am I gonna invest my energy and time?" Why would you not wanna figure that out and try to help other people understand that?

And so for me, that was something significant. Yeah. And I know my siblings too. It's you know, [00:08:00] we're adding value to the community, to the people around us. The chiropractors that pick up the magazine and learn something, maybe, maybe it helps them get, you know, through that week when they're just, like, you know, trying to implement something new.

But it's just a privilege to be able to put something like that together on a monthly basis and for helping guide people in their decision-making. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Absolutely. And I think it's, I think it's testin- a testament to the breadth of the profession. You know, of course, most of us think of the chiropractic profession, of being a doctor of chiropractic.

But there are other avenues as well. You know, you and I are both involved in I'll call it splinter parts of the profession, you with the magazine, and, and you guys have made it a, a family event, if you will, and which I think is awesome. And you'll have to tell your sister and Jay our hello for me, by the way.

Um- Sure. You know, and, and us with the consulting business and a couple of the other chiropractic-based businesses that we have. Chiropractic has [00:09:00] grown in that regard tremendously. And I think that kinda speaks to the power of how strong the profession has become over the years, and yet we're still fragile in a couple of areas, like you mentioned, like the insurance companies don't appreciate us.

The, uh, medical world sometimes doesn't appreciate us, although I think it's gotten better, obviously. But we still have our challenges and, you know, we, we have to make sure, I think, that, uh, all of us pitch in and help mold those challenges into success strategies as the profession continues to, uh, grow and age.

Dr. Joseph Busch: Absolutely. It's, uh, the, the changing demographic from 50 years ago to today, I mean, it can't be ignored. Most of the people that were chiropractors at that time were men, you know? And so the profession- Right ... has done a really good job of getting more women through the educational system. And even today now, I mean, some of the classes are majority female, so, that's a huge shift, right?

And, uh- ... the [00:10:00] recognition is also kind of elevating. I mean, there, there are lights out there that are implying that, all these years of grinding are starting to bear fruit. When you see the University of Pittsburgh with their chiropractic program, I mean, just a phenomenal thing, a public university, the top rehab university having chiropractic as a degree is phenomenal.

Yeah, it's awesome. And so, uh, there are still, yes, these undercurrents which are trying to erode that, that foundation that we have that is helping us go to that next level. Uh, I think it's common right now. I mean, we're going through this transformation of, of technology that the world has never seen on this scale.

And so, uh, if we can just con- continue to, hone in on that message of the importance of touch, the importance of, uh, a functioning nervou- nervous system, of working with the chiro- the patient's environment to help restore health and healing, that is a [00:11:00] timeless message, right? And that's not with computer, right?

The, this type of interaction, even through this computer with you, Dr. Perusich, is is something that adds a level. This is not a computer, right? So we are talking to each other, and we, we know each other. Right. So it's you know, there's, there's opportunity. There, there are, there's hope on the horizon.

The United States, the Veterans Administration including chiropractors. I see chiro- It's huge ... I see patients from the military all the time here. Yeah. And, uh, they love their chiropractors. So, you know- Sure ... when, it, there's a lot of hope, but the, the demographics have changed. Much more women coming into the profession.

Patients are- Which is 

Dr. Michael Perusich: wonderful ... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: right, patients are usually women now. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Right. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Right. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Uh, 

Dr. Joseph Busch: on higher frequency. So, uh, versus say back, you know, in that time when it was, like, farmers coming in, and it's just a very sophisticated environment. Yeah. Bridging that gap is where I see you helping those chiropractors in the field [00:12:00] with as it has evolved.

So we always appreciate your writing in our magazine,

Dr. Michael Perusich: oh, well, I appreciate that. That's, uh, that's very kind of you. I, I enjoy it. And, you know, our, our whole goal with our business is, really just to help- We, we were all very successful in practice, and, uh, our whole goal is just to make sure that we propel everybody else out there trying to do well in chiropractic, which they have the right to do, trying to just help them find that same profitability path that we did.

And, but it's funny, y- what I've noticed over the last 10 years is how quickly the profession changes, how quickly the business model changes, how quickly reimbursement changes, how quickly the federal rules change, and, you know, it's become almost a quagmire for the independent, uh, private practice doctor to really be able to keep up with stuff like that.

And, you know, so when I pick up the American Chiropractor and I see this wide range of articles every [00:13:00] month it makes me smile because that tells me that you guys have created that conduit where we can get all those different pieces of information out to doctors in a very succinct and simple way so that the profession can keep up.

Um, there, there was a book I read a long time ago, it was called Managing at the Speed of Change, and I'm reminded that, of that every day when I think about how the profession has changed, and it's becoming very hard without conduits like the, like the magazine for doctors to manage at the speed of change.

Dr. Joseph Busch: Well, don't you think that's by design? I mean, you know- Sure ... these are businesses, and the medical system, a lot would characterize it as a monopoly, and, uh- Sure ... it's more than a monopoly. It's a control structure for people, uh, and it's global. So they don't- Right ... want that freedom. They don't want freedom of information, they want it controlled.

Chiropractors- Yeah ... are the rebels, right? So of course, we're gonna take the bullets, uh, because we're the easy target, but if [00:14:00] there's a threat to the system, it's through the chiropractic message, and it, the message is that your body can heal itself, and this has been going on for millennia. So it's- Yeah

uh, and not only that, but the chiropractic adjustment can cat- catalyze the rapidity with which you can heal things. So I mean, you can't- Yeah ... do that through any other method. And, um, now- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: No ... there's something to be 

Dr. Joseph Busch: said- And that's why 

Dr. Michael Perusich: we're not liked. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Yeah, exactly. There's something to be said for, for just a healthy lifestyle, which, you know, even today- I, I don't think there's ever been a time when there had been so much attention to healthy lifestyle.

And kids are really getting it, like, for all of the guff that, that younger generations take, I think this generation has the most awareness of that. Maybe COVID pushed them more towards that. Maybe it pushed them more into isolationism as well- Mm ... which is not healthy, but- 

... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Uh, at least, like, with drugs, smoking, it seems like all of that stuff is coming down because people realize it's creating harm to them with toxins, right?

We [00:15:00] still have the, we have the trauma and thoughts. Those are still a pro- a big problem. But at least toxins we're starting to get a little handle on, so, I guess it, the, it grinds finely, everything, but... 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah, and we're starting to see, you know, some of that education now down into the schools.

So, you know, maybe some of the things that we've preached for years and years is gonna start trickling back into the younger generations and, and, uh, boil up as a healthier society in the future. I know my daughter's a second grade teacher and, you know, she, she talks about health principles with her, with her kids in, uh, in her classroom.

I think that's getting more prevalent, at least I hope it is. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Definitely. I think that... Well, you know, that's a lot... You see that in society. Um, a lot of the influencers that are coming on, they're really adopting the chiropractic message. Uh, you know, and, uh, it's important that we continue to have that with our patients- Absolutely

and be that leader in our communities so that they know that we, we've always understood that. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Absolutely. [00:16:00] We need to take a very quick break. Hear a quick word from our sponsors. But, uh, Doc, when we come back, I would love to hear more about the history of the magazine and where your dad got the idea and, and how all that came around.

So- 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Sure ...

Dr. Michael Perusich: we're talk- we're talking with Dr. Joseph Bush, uh, from The American Chiropractor, as well as he is a practicing chiropractic physician in Panama, Panama City. Um, so we're excited to have him on the show today, so stay tuned. We'll be right back.

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American Chiropractor Origins

Dr. Michael Perusich: Okay, everybody, welcome back to the KC ChiroPulse podcast. We're talking to Dr. Joseph Bush. Joe, I wanna hear more about the magazine. I wanna hear... I wish I would've known your father, but, um, he sounded like an amazing man. But, uh, how did the magazine come about? 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Well, so that's a great question.

And, uh, you know, your Kats Consulting, so my dad, at that time, in, in the '70s, late '70s, was interested in doing seminars. Mm-hmm. And he was interested in doing practice management, which he did- Mm-hmm ... for a long time. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Sure. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: And, uh, he had he was like, "How do I get out there?" A- and pretty much he, he... At the time, magazines are w- the way, right?

The United States Postal Service delivers it, and he was, uh, speaking a lot. And as a matter of fact, he even was writing in some of our other journals around here- at the time, and so there was a situation where he had actually kind of interfaced with a printer that had like a mock-up of [00:18:00] a magazine to be able to...

For chiropractic, right? And so he had worked with them to be able to do that, and that was a, a printer in Louisville, Kentucky. Amazing. But he had, he had been interested in just basically marketing his seminars however he wanted. Mm-hmm. And he considered himself like the Gucci chiropractor at the time.

Like, he... It was kind of, you know, that was the Mercedes 80s kind of things- Right ... which has horrible connotation, okay? But- ... 

Dr. Michael Perusich: I 

Dr. Joseph Busch: mean, he was doing extreme things that are not even considered today. Like the you know, a lot of this manipulation under anesthesia, that type of level thing. Mm-hmm. 

And, and he would be considering it as like closed reductions.

And the stories that he told me, if I was to say that in a school when I graduated 20 years ago, they would probably, I don't know, look at me- ... in a very aggressive way, right? Because- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Probably ... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: we're not gonna say, I'm gonna say 20 years ago it was a different profession. You know what I mean?

And so 40 years ago it was a really different profession. [00:19:00] And, uh, so they s- they were still creating laws for a lot of this stuff- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Sure ... even 

Dr. Joseph Busch: at that time. And, uh, as far as licensed chiropractors go, when we're talking about today, it's 50,000, 60,000. Then it was like 15,000, and a lot of the states were still getting licensure.

So his whole motivation was to be able to get his, his practice management seminars marketed. And so that was... he also wanted- I love that ... to be a star. He also wanted to be a star, don't get me wrong. He was not- ... But it was like, so, uh, that's what led him to that. And then, um, you know, it was just kinda one thing led to another.

He did end up making seminars, having seminars in LA. Chiro- I think the name of those were like Chiropractic USA, and, uh, one seminar in Fort Wayne, Indiana. And he had them throughout the United States. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Sure. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: And did some associations as well associated with that, so. But you know, he's just a very smart person that, you know, loved to read, loved to teach, [00:20:00] and so that's- Yeah

that's how that happened. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: That's awesome. And so the, the magazine started in '79, is that right? '

Dr. Joseph Busch: 78. It was the first- '78 ... issue, I believe. Yeah, that was- Yeah ... the week. We have copies going all the way back then, of course. You know- That's, that's amazing ... it's not like digital today, you just delete it, it's gone.

So all your work is like adios. But it's still physically present, and we have in our archives, which we're hoping to get those online soon. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Oh, that would be amazing. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: No, the messaging is awesome, and when you look at the messaging from that day, people took so much more care putting together those, you know, the articles they wrote.

And, uh- And, but the, all of the messages are still, still very consistent. I mean, like, the, even the nutritional advice, it's like, there's not a lot of evolution behind what people- Sure ... are now talking about versus then. It's much more accepted lately, and, and much more accepted if you talk about it with different terms, but it's still the same application.

So that's what I find [00:21:00] most amazing, right? 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Oh, yeah, that would be interesting. And so now today the magazine is, uh, d- just an absolute mainstay in the profession. And, uh, by the way, hats off to you guys because it, I, it seems like every edition that comes out every month, it, it just looks nicer and nicer.

Dr. Joseph Busch: Uh, thank you. Yeah, that's a lot of hard work very dedicated team, so- I can only imagine ... and a very dedicated team of professionals in the chiropractic profession, so we appreciate it, and that feedback, it helps thrive us to the next issue every time. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah. It really is a incredible magazine.

So I, I'm gonna switch gears here for just a second. Since you guys kinda have a, a, I'm gonna call it a step-back viewpoint or a 50,000-foot viewpoint of the profession, um, 'cause you're involved in so many different aspects and, and interact with so many different people in the profession, from thought leaders to educators and so forth.

But- Mm-hmm ... what do you see as where the profession is today and where today is taking us in the future? [00:22:00] 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Well, and that's why... That's a great question, right? So, uh, where are we going in the future? No one knows. Sure. With the evolution of everything as I mentioned, 50 years ago, when we're mailing out, we're mailing to the, the chiropractic founder, owner of their, of their clinic.

Dr. Michael Perusich: Right. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Today, we're mailing out, and that, the magazine's getting passed around, and it's going to, you know, a, a human resource director. It's going to a chiropractic assistant who's a c- clinic manager, chiropractor, you know, that is maybe an employee and, uh, so with that, or working in a hospital. So these are, the whole healthcare system apparatus is evolving too.

If you look at what's going on with MAHA, if you look on what's going on with payment models, you know, we're cash pay a lot anymore, I think, Yeah, sure ... most of the people that are practicing. 

Succession and Investment

Dr. Joseph Busch: I mean, it doesn't, you're not gonna get reimbursed above the, the copay or whatever, and I think that you've mentioned that on some of your [00:23:00] podcasts.

Dr. Michael Perusich: Right. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: And so of course, where's the money? Who's paying the money? Uh, that's where the profession goes. So I see the, a lot more group work continuing to manifest itself. There's a huge shift, too. Chiropractors in the profession, 50, 60, above 50- tends to dominate the people that are in practice today.

So there's gonna be this not only wealth transfer in the United States, but wealth transfer within chiropractic, and these succession plans are gonna influence tremendously where we're going. Um- Yep. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: I 

Dr. Joseph Busch: 100% 

Dr. Michael Perusich: agree ... and so, 

Dr. Joseph Busch: you know, so, uh, in with healthcare, it's different. With a chiropractic clinic, uh, BlackRock will come in and buy, buy residences, but I haven't seen them really start to focus in on these alternative healthcare niches, niche, right?

Mm-hmm. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Right. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Uh, so that's really gonna dictate the ability for that succession plan of, of the upcoming DC to walk into a [00:24:00] clinic and it be a fair deal is gonna influence where we go. Mm-hmm. But I just see the permeation of the chiropractic philosophy getting much more robust throughout the community and society in the United States.

I mean, you can't talk about healthcare without considering these, these new modalities that are, are really... A lot of them are using all the terms that we use, uh, with chiropractic. "Oh, we're healing it from within." Okay. Wait, that's okay when you say it with this untested scientific approach that you're, you're propagating, but now when we say that with chiropractic, that's not okay?

No. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: It's not okay. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: I remember. I remember. Okay? I remember what you said about our stuff, right? So it's like if But chiropractic has... I feel like we get stuck in this th- thing where we, we believe that it's not, it has not been proven, or we wanna live with this, uh, myth that, uh, that there's no science behind it.

We have this tremendous amount of science. Oh, it's huge. And so for us to continue to focus on that, it's just like we have to, [00:25:00] we have to understand that we did that work and it's validated. And, um, and so I just think that the, as the older generations which were infected with that virus that was created by that AMA will-

beat down of the profession- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yep ... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: now all the haters that are still hanging on, talking about, oh, on, on social media, I just think that the next generation isn't gonna be infected by that way. So it'll be, it'll be a mainstay. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah. The, 

Dr. Joseph Busch: the only question is if we can, if we can manage to keep ourselves as the administrator of that and, and executor of that.

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yep, yep. And yeah, that's gonna be, I think, one of our biggest challenges, honestly. And, you know, you mentioned companies like BlackRock coming in and buying up, tracts of, of houses and, and rental homes and those kind of things, and which is interesting. So I, I came from an investment bank- uh, investment banking background prior to chiropractic, mergers and acquisitions.

And, and I see the chiropractic profession, if the [00:26:00] investment banking world really knew how clean our businesses are and how simple, for the most part- Mm-hmm ... they are to run and what amazing profit generators they can be, oh my gosh, the value of our practices should be going through the roof. And- Right

those kind of companies should be s- sitting up and taking notice and, and buying whole cities of chiropractic clinics. Mm-hmm. So, but I, you know, I think that's something that's gonna happen down the road. It will catch fire at some point. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Well, that's where you guys are so important, because, uh, the average chiropractor out there, they don't understand how to extract that value.

And so- Sure ... when I talk to some of these, even, uh, other models, you know, like franchising models and whatnot, they're talking about building these up. But the truth is, if they work with someone like your approach to structuring the systems and these, standard operation procedures and all that- Right

working them within their, their frame, it's much easier to transition. And so... And it makes them be able to sleep easier, right? So- 

... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: But if you [00:27:00] walk into a mom-and-pop chiropractic clinic, I don't think anyone wants to buy that, you know, just where the guy is, like, there's- Maybe- ... hasn't vacuumed in a while, and, 

Dr. Michael Perusich: uh- Right.

Maybe not in the condition it's in, but- Right ... uh, you know, it's, it's like a house. You know, you can look at a house that's dilapidated and hasn't been taken care of, but you can look at it either from, "Oh, that's a, that's a sorry-looking house," or, "That house has potential if we just fix it up a little bit."

Mm-hmm. And that's how I see chiropractic practices. "Oh, if we just fix it up a little bit," you'd be amazed at what kind of revenue and so forth it can generate. That was just my, my, I- my focus on profitability. 

Research Posture and Subluxation

Dr. Michael Perusich: But you know, you mentioned something else too about the research, and this is something that has always stuck with me, at least for a long time.

So Dr. Kats tasked me many, many years ago I don't even wanna say how long ago to put together a, a rehab class. And so I put together a four-hour rehab class. But to do that, I had to go back and do a whole bunch of [00:28:00] research. And Joe, what I found was all this amazing research out there in the orthopedic literature, in the medical literature, the neurology literature, the brain study literature about chiropractic and what we do, it's been out there for years.

They just use slightly different nomenclature. Mm-hmm. And w- we just weren't, we just weren't pulling the dots together. But it- Right ... it's been there. And now, now we've got all of our own research out there too that are substantiating us even more. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Without a doubt. Without a doubt. And that's how I see it too.

I mean, when you just... as we learn more about the effect of hormones, as we learn more- Mm-hmm ... about the effect of sleep deprivation, you know, the nervous system tone, maybe it's not exactly how we were saying, right? But it's pretty close, you know? Pretty close. It's... I mean, you know, even, even what we were saying 100 years ago.

So it's, uh, I, I feel the exact same way as you. And even some of the most recent [00:29:00] research and, uh, you know, the term vertebral subluxation gets a horrible rap within the profession, outside of the profession. It's difficult to say, can't even spell it, but it's like, it's not that bad of a, of a concept, and it's just maybe we were focusing in on it too close and we wanted it to be a light, a light switch, when it's really more of these broader systems.

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah, we wanted it to be too specific. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Yeah. And so what, the thing is, is that you see it with the research with some of these, even the, the postural guys that are coming out now with blood flow, cerebral blood flow, some great studies- Yeah ... uh, that you'll find in the literature right now if you just focus on some of these techniques like CBP, uh- Mm-hmm

and, which are evolutions of these other techniques, and, and those guys have been doing that with them for years. So I just think it's very exciting. I think it, I get, it might be- Very ... boring to talk about posture and blood flow to the brain, but to me are you kidding me? [00:30:00] Especially when we're experiencing this neurode- degenerative kind of epidemic going on.

Dr. Michael Perusich: Right. Right. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: And then neurodevelopmental, and how that all linking to posture and CSF flow, blood flow. I just find it very exciting. And, uh- Yeah. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: I do too. I do 

Dr. Joseph Busch: too ... you talk to someone about that, like, it kinda goes over their head in, in a public s- environment, right? But anyways. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah. It, it's always funny to me when you talk about posture, you know, just from a patient standpoint, they can look in the mirror and see their teeth that are crooked and, and they wanna go get them fixed.

Mm-hmm. But then on the same, in the same light, they can look in the mirror and see that their posture's off- But they just wanna th- throw a shirt or a dress or something over it and not worry about it, and not get it fixed. And so I think as time goes by and there's more of that research that you're talking about that comes out about posture and the effects on physiology and those kind of things, people are gonna start to pay more attention.

So doctors, make sure that you keep posture, I know it's kind of a basic term to us, but keep posture [00:31:00] in, uh, in the forefront at all times 'cause it is important. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Without a doubt. And, uh, you know, just ignoring the effect of the adjustment on the overall system includes posture, includes... It's Newtonian physics, you know, at its most fundamental- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Sure.

Yeah. Couldn't 

Dr. Joseph Busch: put it- ... how you distribute weight. And, uh, if you're able to demonstrate that over time, just like straightening your teeth, if you walk around a- and you s- you know someone, and you've been seeing them every day, after they get a really good adjustment, you can see that they're moving differently.

I mean- Sure ... it's a shocking thing when you're like, "That is a completely different person." Yeah. Not only do they look... I mean, th- their air, they have more aura, as the kids would say nowadays. You know, I mean, they... So they're carrying that and reflecting that. It's so profound. And the, the bigger changes that you don't even see much more difficult to measure but are able to be measured now, and, and more prolonged effects has to be talked about.

So yeah, I mean, that's, I guess that's where [00:32:00] my attention has been, and so maybe I'm imposing that on other people. But, uh, because, just for me, I need something to get me excited, right? And so- Sure ... like you say, everyone's got perfect teeth. And I don't wanna say perfect teeth aren't great, and, uh, a lot of my patients have huge jaw problems associated with grinding their teeth at night.

Oh, yeah. So we gotta, you know, help them. I mean, we're all stressed a little bit, but the chiropractic adjustment helps tremendously with resolu- resolving that, too, but- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Oh, my gosh, yes ... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: i'm preaching to the choir here. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: The choir-practors. Very good. 

TAC Tic Talk and Closing

Dr. Michael Perusich: Joe, we need to take another quick little break. When we come back, I wanna talk a little bit, uh, if you don't mind, about, uh, the American Chiropractic Magazine's podcast, Tac Tic Talk.

Sure. So we'll be right back.

Speaker 4: Patient numbers, dipping staff overwhelmed, and another marketing idea, promising the world, but delivering nothing. These pressures feel familiar to nearly every Chiropractic clinic today [00:33:00] across the country. Chiropractors work hard, yet many find themselves stuck. Balancing patient care with the nonstop demands of running a business.

That's where the real strain begins. Most clinics face the same set of hurdles, inconsistent new patient flow, operational bottlenecks, and the constant challenge of staying visible in an overcrowded digital space. National reports show that over 60% of clinics struggle with scheduling efficiency alone and even more lack of clear marketing strategy that reliably converts.

But the good news, these challenges aren't roadblocks. They're signals with the right procedures, smarter outreach and guidance built specifically for Chiropractic practices, clinics can turn daily stress into sustainable growth. Stronger clinics start with smarter strategies. Grow your practice with confidence.

Book your strategy session with Kats Consultants.

Dr. Michael Perusich: Okay, everybody, welcome back. Thanks for [00:34:00] staying tuned in today. Exciting show here today with Dr. Joseph Bush, uh, from The American Chiropractor Magazine, as well as one of the, uh, great chiropractic physicians in the profession, so definitely one of the thought leaders. So, uh, we're honored to have you on today.

Your podcast, the podcast that you all put on i- is doing some great things. When did you guys start that? 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Well, we started that I think probably about five years ago. Yeah. Um, and it was, like, right when Tic Tok started, which I was, like, brainstorming... We were brainstorming ideas for names, and we're like Tic Talk.

Of course, a lot of these... A lot of the schools know what Tic Talk is, right? We wanna talk about chiropractic. And I came to learn afterwards that there are some seminar speeches called Tic Talk, which I did not intend to rob, so. Sure. Talking about chiropractic, you know? And, uh, we're chiropractors. We're gonna talk about chiropractic.

And, um, that w- that started because you know, [00:35:00] you, you see all of these important influencers that we interact with all the time, and, uh, after having these conversations that are brilliant, I'm like, "I wish people could've heard that conversation," because it added so much value to me. And, uh, so that's...

As I was talking with Jacqueline, I'm like, "Jacqueline, how do we do this?" You know? And so that was what that came out of. And, um, or what- I love it ... came because, uh, you know, we're only here for a short time, and so if we talk to people that are so important to the growth of the profession, getting from where it began to where it is today, and just legends, and h- they have all of this information in their brain.

And just the way you could say one thing can totally change your perspective on it. And so, and, and we've had that experience so many times. And so, we just decided to add that on to what we were doing so that we could get to better know our, our... the people that we work with, and to share that with [00:36:00] people as well, so.

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah. I think it's a great platform that you guys have out there, and, and in my opinion, one of the, one of the best podcasts in the profession. So thank you guys for putting that on. It's, uh, well done, and you have some great guests on there. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Dr. Perusich, thank you. I mean, we talk to healers, you know, with different techniques all the time too, technique being one of those niches in chiropractic that is, like, incredibly scrutinized, right?

Mm-hmm. Because everyone's got an opinion on technique. And like- Right ... as we talk to some of these guys, right? And so there is a philosophy undercurrent to it as well. And so, I mean, we get to talk to these people that have been, they're pulling these techniques from 100 years ago when there was, like, it's just amazing content. For me, it's very enriching. Of course, we work with a lot of vendors as well to... that help explain some of their shockwave device's effects of it, laser therapy. You know, I w- people should know who they're doing business with when you go out and buy a, [00:37:00] a cold laser.

Dr. Michael Perusich: Absolutely. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: I mean, you know, not everyone is the same, and so that's, that's another reason that we bring it to the forefront. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah. Well, you guys do a great job, and, uh, as importantly the, the magazine is amazing and, and we appreciate all the efforts and, and time you put, time and energy that you put into the profession as well.

Dr. Joseph Busch: Thank you for that. That's very- Yeah ... very kind. And we couldn't do it without you, Dr. Perusich, and, and- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Well, I appreciate that as well. So- 

Dr. Joseph Busch: And some of those out there that have the passion that you have because, you know, you've been doing... How, now how long have you been with Kats Consulting? 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah, so I joined up with Dr.

Kats in, uh, around towards the end of, uh, 1999 and, um, yeah. So it's- 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Close to 30 years. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Y- close to 30 years. And of course, I came out of the investment banking world, so- Mm-hmm ... you know, I was, even in school I was it's funny, I was doing some business consulting with, uh, fellow classmates even when I was [00:38:00] in school.

Um, you know, 'cause nobody, nobody knew business. Nobody had to draw up a business plan, and I had a little side business where I was writing business plans for my classmates before they graduated. But, uh, yeah, I met Dr. Kats and, and kind of the rest is history. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Well, that is very cool. So 30 years doing what you're doing right now, helping chiropractors plug in business concepts into their practice and experiencing growth.

You know, I mean, without you, without people like you- ... definitely we couldn't do it. All the, you know, what I've been hearing more than ever is that there's kind of a, there are two s- two different realities that are emerging within the profession, the haves and the have-nots, and we've heard it throughout society as well.

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: So, um, a- and it's getting them from not having to having is a, an undertaking, and a lot of people wanna do it on their own, and it's gonna be just so much easier if they can find someone like you that can help plug in these time-proven systems a- and look at it [00:39:00] from, you know, a perspective of experience.

You've, you've probably seen every type of practice that you can, you know? With the- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: I don't know. Every once in a while one comes along. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: You should do a podcast with that one. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah, I 

Dr. Joseph Busch: should. You know, because it's, uh, we, chiropractors are, like, very... I guess we like to see what the other guy is doing, right?

And so even... And that's what drives me with the, the magazine and, uh, my, my brothers and sisters. It's like, you know, we, we help people formulate opinions. We don't necessarily give them the opinion that we, we want, is the- Right ... but w- when we're presenting these different approaches- Although you may not agree with the techniques we talk about sometimes or, or the approaches even- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Sure, sure

Dr. Joseph Busch: it helps you clarify your identity to the point- Absolutely ... that like, you know, even when you, uh, disagree with something, you can come away with much different action plan and very firm- Yeah ... than when you agree with something. So- Yep ... 

Dr. Michael Perusich: you 

Dr. Joseph Busch: know, I mean, we do put some stuff out there that [00:40:00] people are like, "I can't believe they wrote that," and they'll send us nasty letters and it's like-

you know what? I mean, I'm not censoring anyone, and we are in one of the most, uh, like, just explosive professions- Sure ... with explosive characters and, and, um, I love the feedback,

Dr. Michael Perusich: you know, we, we get the same thing. We put out information and, and kinda get darts thrown at us once in a while, but I think a lot of that's just because we're thinking, we're trying to think ahead.

We're constantly innovating. Mm-hmm. So I know when people think about practice management and k- business advisors, you know, whatever, whatever category you wanna put us all in they, they think one, one of a couple things, that you're trying to drive more patient visits and new patients into a practice, so I just have to work harder if I use your system.

Or we're just an expense. And- ... you know, there's... The delineation is that good business consulting, and not to get off on us, but good business consulting is an investment in your business, and it should parlay your business into higher growth in multiple areas [00:41:00] of the business, and help you enjoy practice better.

And so when we talk about the haves and the have-nots everybody can be a have. And I think in our profession it comes down to one thing. There's a lot of pride in our profession, which is not a bad thing, but sometimes pride is preventing us from being open-minded to concepts and innovations that can really help our practices, and looking at those kind of people, whether it's, whether it's your magazine, The American Chiropractor, getting information there, or companies like ours be open-minded because there's a lot of ways to run a practice and there's a lot of ways not to run a practice.

And it's really all just staying in the know and finding what fits your mindset, but drop the pride to think you can do it on your own because I promise you, Warren Buffett didn't get to where he is on his own, Michael Eisner didn't get to where he was, on his own, and, uh, Michael Jordan didn't get to be the king of basketball on his own.

So, everybody needs help and access to information. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: I completely agree. I [00:42:00] mean, uh, and that's called experience, what you're saying, is like, stay open. After you've gone to the- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah ... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: to the wrong door enough times, I mean, it's like- Right ... w- I mean, someone's gotta help you a little bit.

And, uh, those types, adding those types of, uh, exper- experienced mentors it's a catalyst. It's every... It gets you to the destination quicker. Uh, it makes you be able to sleep better, I mean- don't go it alone. I, I totally agree with you in what you're saying, and that's, you know- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Yeah

Dr. Joseph Busch: we're part of a community. People have been through it before. It's not because of the person up the road from you doing free adjustments on the weekend, you know- No ... it's like... But you know, there's a, there's a way to package everything. And so, uh- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Absolutely ... 

Dr. Joseph Busch: take advantage of, of the resources at your disposal, right?

Dr. Michael Perusich: Absolutely. And thank you, guys, for having one of the best resources we have available in this profession. Um, you guys are always amazing, not only with, uh, the magazine, but the podcast as well. So keep up the great work. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Thank you so much. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: And, uh, you know what? If [00:43:00] that bio gets any bigger, uh, we may have to have a whole podcast just on the bio.

Dr. Joseph Busch: You know, I don't know. I just, uh, exported something and didn't mean to have it that long, didn't expect it to be written, that's for 

Dr. Michael Perusich: sure. No it was great. It was, uh... You know, I've known you for a while, but it was great to, to read some of the, uh, highlights of your, uh, your career, so- 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Well, you're, you're- 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Thank you for sharing that

Dr. Joseph Busch: you could be a, an Audible reader on, for- ... for the... You know what I mean? Like- You know, but- You might have a career in store for you ... 

Dr. Michael Perusich: I, I have been a speaker all my life, so that's where that comes from. Yeah. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Very good. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Dr. Joe Busch, everybody. Joe, thank you for being here today. We really appreciate you, guys.

Tell the rest of your family we said hello, and, uh, we appreciate you being on the show. 

Dr. Joseph Busch: Certainly. Thank you. Thank you very much. 

Dr. Michael Perusich: Absolutely. So from all of us here at, uh, Kats Consultants, go check us out at katsconsultants.com. Make sure you go check out the American Chiropractor and their podcast TAC Tic Talk.

And, uh, we wanna thank [00:44:00] Chiro Health USA for being one of our sponsors as well. So from all of us here at Kats Consultants, we'll see you next time.