If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ve no doubt seen some of the excellent case studies submitted by Dr. Chris Teo. He runs a cancer care clinic in Malaysia that specializes in treating cancer with herbs and energy medicine. AcuGraph is an important tool Dr. Teo uses to monitor patient progress and adjust treatment.

Today’s case is a very rare cancer called Pseudomyxoma Peritonei. This cancer spreads to the body cavity and fills the belly with jelly-like fluid. Dr. Teo treated the patient for 8 months and tracked progress in this interesting case.

Part one of the write up gives the background and case history. Part two discusses treatment progress and results. It’s worth a read.

Read Part One Here

Read Part Two Here

Thanks, Dr. Teo for another excellent contribution!

A few weeks ago, I was visiting my daughter in Washington, DC. One of our goals for the trip was to do a little shopping–specifically to find a new spring purse!

Unless you are a woman, you just don’t know how many details you need to think about when trying to find the PERFECT everyday purse.

For example–here is an important consideration…My sister once told me the bigger your purse is, the smaller your butt looks…The take home message here is, when it comes to purses, size OBVIOUSLY matters.

Here are some other considerations:

• Is it fashionable?
• Does it fit your personality?
• Is it durable enough to last through the season?
• Will it get dirty easily?
• Does it fit comfortably over your shoulder so you can keep your hands free while walking?
• Does it have a convenient place for your cell phone and business cards? (This is a MUST!)
• Does it have a great little spot to clip your keys so that you can find them easily?

Finally, there needs to be some nice little secret hiding places to hide important personal items! What type of secret little items you may ask? Well, everyone is different, but if you are an acupuncturist, your needs are EXTRA special. I’ll tell you what you will ALWAYS find in the secret hiding places in my purse…

I never leave home without my EXTRA Stimplus Pro–whether I’m traveling around the world, spending the evening at a dinner party OR running errands around town with my family. The Stimplus Pro is a must have, and I just don’t leave home without it!

My daughter and I had a blast walking all over DC trying to find just the right purse. My new purse is the perfect size, fashionable, durable, and has room to carry EVERYTHING I need.

How many Stimplus Pro’s do you own? I have one for each treatment room AND an extra one for my purse.

If you don’t have one for your purse (or briefcase), you are missing out on some really great opportunities. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve given quick little treatments for family and friends. I am constantly asked for my business card because I use my EXTRA Stimplus Pro in these social situations. It’s not only a great resource in my life, it’s also a great marketing tool!

You are already an interesting person simply because you are an acupuncturist. Use your Stimplus Pro and auriculotherapy as a conversation piece. People will be ESPECIALLY interested to see your ability to alleviate pain by treating the ear WITHOUT needles. We’ve got a few options to choose from…just click below!

Happy Spring!

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Kimberly Thompson, L.Ac.

kimberly@miridiatech.com

Acupuncture Research Analyst

What I found is a truly remarkable approach that’s shown to consistently produce referrals from established relationships–Get serious with this and you can literally see hundreds of new referrals this year. Best of all, it only takes 10 minutes per day.

I know what kind of difference new referrals make in a practice, so I’ve asked the company to give you the chance to try it in YOUR practice at NO COST.

Please accept my gift of a free 30-day trial with 22 Touch (no credit card is required.) 22 Touch is an extremely cost-effective and time-efficient way to automate a high-touch referral system to acquire new patients and build your practice. I highly recommend it.

What would a steady stream of new trusted referrals mean to your practice in 2013?

Build your practice in under 10 minutes a day.
22 Touch helps you attract referrals by guiding you through simple relationship-building steps with your existing contacts. Follow the process each day with 5-7 contacts and start getting trusted referrals. Spend your time building relationships rather than cold marketing.

It’s easy to get started.

• Step-by-step instructions show you exactly what to do each day
• Learn simple ways to connect on a personal level
• Keep existing patients from falling through the cracks
• Teach your contacts to refer to you first–because they want to

“The system enables me consistently to provide positive attention to people who are important to my practice” – Michael O.

The benefits of using 22 Touch.

More referrals
People will refer friends and family to the professionals they know, like, and trust. Use 22 Touch to connect with contacts on a personal level and build that trust. Prospects are SIX TIMES more likely to become a patient when they’ve been referred.

Increased client retention
Fight the perceived indifference of your current patients by keeping in touch with them in thoughtful ways. 22 Touch helps you follow a process designed to efficiently build relationships and make sure no one falls through the cracks.

Notice: 22 Touch is not owned by or affiliated with Miridia Technology Inc, but Miridia will be paid a commission if you choose to spend money with 22 Touch.

Now you know what that wrist strap is for…You’re not getting it away from me!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

After nearly two years of anxious anticipation, I’m pleased to announce the Stimplus Pro is back!

No, that wasn’t quite loud enough. Let me try again:

The Stimplus Pro is Back!

Ok, that’s better.

This is the legendary point locator and stimulator that sets the standard for all others. Compact, powerful and convenient, this is the best tool I’ve ever found for both body and auricular points.

As you may know, there were practically riots when the manufacturer stopped making these gems a while back. I know we certainly got lots of phone calls here from people practically begging me to get them one. But there were none to be had. So we went to work with the manufacturer to arrange to bring it back. It took a fair bit longer than anyone expected, but they’re finally here!

I’ve only been able to get my hands on a limited supply of these to start with, but I’ve got more shipments on the way–so first come, first served. 

When Kimberly hinted at this release a few days ago, I think this comment about summed it up best:

That’s great news! I have one and use it on a daily basis…I pretty much guard it like gold because I knew I couldn’t get another one. I may actually let someone else touch it now, lol! Can’t wait to get another one! 

I never use the wrist strap–it’s not technically necessary–but now it finally makes sense! That’s a security device so nobody can get your Stimplus Pro away from you!

Ready for yours?

Are your ears burning? If not, then they SHOULD be! We were talking about you this morning in our Monday morning planning meeting.

This morning’s topic of conversation focused a lot on auricular acupuncture. We are busily preparing for the long-waited re-release of the Stimplus Pro acupoint stimulator, which just happens to be the best handheld tool we’ve ever found for auriculotherapy.

Yep–you heard me right. The Stimplus Pro will be back VERY SOON!

I get emails and phone calls on a regular basis, asking me which electrical stimulation device I prefer for auriculotherapy treatment. Hands down–my favorite device is the Stimplus Pro. The problem has been this: For nearly two years the Stimplus Pro hasn’t been available on the market!

Well, the wait is FINALLY almost over. Be watching for more details within the week…

In the meantime, I’ve compiled a list of previous blogs I have written on the subject of auriculotherapy. Now would be a great time to review how effective Auricular Therapy can be and brush up on your skills.

• The Big Buzz on Auriculo 3D 
• It doesn’t have to be SCARY! 
• How Do you Stop a Raging Bull?!
• Three Tiny Little Points = One Huge Impact 
• Wanna know a secret?   
• Auriculo PC WOW! Experiences  
• High Blood Pressure   
• What’s Different This Time? 

Here is another article that I wrote last year for Acupuncture Today.

If your ears continue to burn, don’t worry. We ARE still talking about you–and how excited you’re going to be when we release the Stimplus Pro later this week.

Talk to you soon!

Kimberly Thompson, L.Ac.

kimberly@miridiatech.com

Acupuncture Research Analyst

Hi Kimberly,

I have been in deep thought the past couple of weeks on how to really know how many treatments each patient needs.  I have been starting patients out with 1 course of care (12 visits) and then doing a progress exam to determine what steps to take next and now as I am reaching my progress exams I do not have a definite answer of how to move forward.  I graph my patients during their exam and once again at the progress exam–the graphs come back either improved or worse and I know that when the body is healing other areas become blocked or deficient while the body learns how to function normally again. 

I am wondering what you base your treatment plans on?  Do you have some sort of rating system that you use?  

Any suggestions, advice or ideas is greatly appreciated!

Shana

These are really GREAT questions–which are common for a lot of practitioners. I’ll break my answer into three parts.

#1: What happens when a NEW patient comes into my clinic?

When a patient comes in for their FIRST visit–I do a full evaluation which includes a complete history and intake, AcuGraph diagnostics, a printed AcuGraph report, AND treatment.

While I’m going over the AcuGraph findings, patients almost always ask how many times they will need to be treated. My answer goes something like this:

• It depends on how chronic your condition is.
• The longer you have had your condition, the more visits it will take to balance your meridians.
• I start all of my patients on an initial five visit regimen–which includes their initial examination plus treatment, along with four more visits. We’ll be doing the same for you.
• After we’ve treated you for five weekly visits, we’ll know how well your body is responding to acupuncture.
• A general rule of thumb is this: For every month you have suffered with a chronic condition, it will take an additional week of acupuncture for your body to return to normal. Example: If you have had chronic shoulder pain for two years–you should expect an additional 24 treatments.
• But–everyone responds differently. Some respond faster and some take a little longer. Regardless, you will see progress along the way.
• After five visits, you and I will sit down to evaluate how well you are progressing. At that time, I’ll be able to make a better judgment on how many future visits you will need.
• Let’s get ahead and put you on the schedule for the next four visits right now…

#2: The importance of graphing on EVERY visit.

Energy constantly shifts in the body from day to day–even from minute to minute. Graphing and developing a long-term treatment strategy based on a FIRST graph is ineffective. After the first treatment, the body will continue to change (which it should). AcuGraph allows you to grasp a picture of what has changed from visit to visit. The points that were important to treat on your first visit, will not likely be the same points that need attention on the next visit.

Example:

The graph above was taken on a first visit. Let’s analyze it:

• There are obvious excesses and deficiencies that need to be addressed. I could treat the sedation points for the Liver, Kidney and Gallbladder meridians; the tonification points for the Pericardium and the Large Intestine meridians; and the Luo point for the Bladder.
• In fact, there is an obvious difference between the upper body meridians and the lower body meridians in this graph. Notice how the meridians listed on the left are much lower than the ones listed on the right. This tells me that this patient has a lot more energy in the lower body in comparison to the upper body. Another strategy might be to simply treat the Dai Mai channel to develop a better flow between the hand and the foot meridians.

Same patient, new graph–one week later:

Would it make sense to repeat the same treatment plan that I developed for her the previous visit?

NO…

I’ll repeat this pattern of re-graphing and treating based on what I find  each day, throughout the entire treatment series.  It wouldn’t be wise if the treatment strategy for the next four visits, was based on the graph findings from this patient’s first visit.

Our goal is to create a positive change, or shift, in the meridian systems with acupuncture treatment. AcuGraph tells you where the imbalances are on each visit, and then keeps a record of changes that are happening from treatment to treatment.

#3: It’s time to re-evaluate.

After the patient has received their first five visits, we look at all the graphs and reevaluate. The first five visits are very important.

I tell each of my patients that it takes a minimum of five visits for me to work through several layers of possible factors, which may be contributing to their blockages. With each visit, I balance the graph and look for underlying problems.

• Musculoskeletal tension
• Scar tissue
• Diet
• Digestion
• Bowel function
• Emotions

These five visits allow me the chance to gather AcuGraph data.

In the end–I can use the data I have collected in my AcuGraph reports to show how well my patient has progressed. AND then–we can make logical decisions about future treatment plans.

Shana, I hope this helped. How about the rest of you? Was this helpful information for your clinic? I’ll bet that many of our AcuGraph users have great information to share. Tell us how you manage your treatment strategies? Let’s turn this into a discussion so we can all learn!

Thanks everyone!

Click Here!

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Kimberly Thompson, L.Ac.

kimberly@miridiatech.com

Acupuncture Research Analyst

Have you heard?

Since this proclamation was made on April Fool’s Day, there was a certain amount of chuckling. Some were sure it was a joke.

But aside from the obvious irony of any branch of the Federal Government attempting to encourage responsible budgeting and sound decision making, especially on April 1st, I think this is a good thing. Certainly budgeting and investing are crucial to financial stability and success.

Investing isn’t Always Easy…

AcuGraph is an investment. It pays back in your patient relationships, your quality of care, and your bottom line. In fact, most of our users tell us AcuGraph pays off many, many times over. Statistics show AcuGraph users make 35% more money than practitioners who don’t use AcuGraph, which is great, but AcuGraph is still a substantial investment.

One of the real hurdles most practitioners face when purchasing an AcuGraph system isn’t quality, usability, or need. It’s price. Unfortunately, many practices are living “paycheck to paycheck” and simply can’t pay a couple thousand dollars or more in a single transaction. What’s worse, the practices that need AcuGraph the most are often least able to afford the investment.

Now, it’s Budget Friendly!

This is why I’m so pleased to announce our new, budget-friendly purchase options. How budget friendly? How about a manageable down payment and $179 per month? That works out to 3 or 4 patient visits to completely cover your monthly AcuGraph system payment. What’s even better? We’re not talking about 5 years of payments, either. This is a 12-month plan, and it’s done.

Here are the details: Put $995 down on ANY AcuGraph package and pay the rest off over 12 months. And since all packages are available, you save by getting the bundle you need at substantial bundle discounts, and a monthly payment you can afford. We’ve got all the details worked out for each of the packages; just click below for complete information.

It’s up to You

We’re giving this new financing plan a limited try to see how popular it is. If it proves popular, we’ll make it permanent. If not, we’ll stop offering it. Right now, the plan is ONLY available to purchasers in the United States. We hope to expand to other areas in the future, but for now, we’ll see how it goes here in the USA.

If you’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to invest in your practice with the power of AcuGraph, here’s your chance to lock in VERY favorable purchase terms that won’t bust your budget! So go check it out and we’ll look forward to welcoming you as a new AcuGraph practice! Meanwhile, happy National Financial Capability Month!

I’d be smiling if I knew how to fly it.

I don’t own an airplane. Investing in an airplane only makes sense if you use it to do what it’s designed to do–fly! Otherwise, it’s just an expensive toy that sits in the hangar, gathering dust. I don’t know how to fly an airplane, and I don’t own one.

Would you buy an airplane if you didn’t know how to fly it? I once saw a video of a guy who did this with a helicopter. He bought it and just couldn’t wait to try it out. You can guess the result…

You Want to Fly

When it comes to investing in your Acupuncture Practice, it’s not just about buying a piece of equipment. Just as the true value of an airplane is only realized when it’s airborne, the true value of your AcuGraph investment is only realized when you have the training you need to make it fly, so to speak.

When we developed the first version of AcuGraph in 2003, it was a great tool. Do an exam, get a graph–pretty basic, but useful nonetheless. And training? It came with a manual.

As AcuGraph has evolved with greater capability and value, we’ve also added additional training resources: videos, seminars, blog entries, and even personal coaching. The point is that AcuGraph is a high performance aircraft that will help your practice soar–but only if you know how to use it. And without proper training, it’s just a really nice airplane sitting in the hanger.

More Value than Ever Before!

And THAT, my friends, is why I’m so excited about our new AcuGraph system packages. ALL our AcuGraph packages now include incredible training that will get you up and flying fast. Options include all the following, depending on your needs:

• Video boot camp
• AcuGraph e-Course
• Seminar Series (with CE credits!)
• AcuGraph Case Studies Textbook
• Personal Coaching
• Personal Case Consultations
• Concierge Installation and Setup
• Patient Education Tools
• Advanced Marketing Training
• And More…

What’s even better? The combined packages save you LOTS of money! In the past, our users purchased AcuGraph, realized they needed training, and purchased it separately within a few months. Those who got the most training, got the most benefit from their AcuGraph investment. But they also spent the most, and had to do it in multiple purchases.

Who wants to invest in equipment only to find they also need to invest in training they hadn’t planned on? With our new, integrated packages, you get everything you need up front, and save money doing it! Equipment, training, coaching–it’s all there to guarantee your success!

Taking Off

If you haven’t yet made your practice investment in AcuGraph, there’s no better time than now! Your package is positioned on the runway and ready for take off. We have equipment and training packages tailored to every need and every budget. We’ll even design a custom package for you!

Is your practice ready for takeoff?

- -> Click Here to See the AcuGraph Packages <- -

In a nutshell…it’s because I want to give you something to ponder and consider before you get caught up in the activities of the work week.

We’ve been working with Practitioners for the past 10 years. We try hard to produce a quality product and deliver exceptional service. I think most of you would agree that we’ve successfully accomplished that goal.

We’ve also heard about your struggles and challenges. We’re not just “business people” that make equipment for the Acupuncture profession. We are a collection of Practitioners that HAVE been and still ARE right there in the trenches with you.

We know the kinds of struggles you’re dealing with. We understand how difficult things can be and what it feels like when a practice is crying out for help.

• When you’ve exhausted all of your resources.
• When patients won’t come in for their regular treatments and won’t refer their friends and family.
• When your ads are costing you money, but not paying for themselves.
• When you’re considering quitting…and getting a “real job!”
• The overwhelming fear that your dream is slipping away.
• We’ve felt the cold silence as depression sets in.

Okay…I’m going to take a minute and BREATHE! Those emotions are VERY real for  many of us!

There is a Solution!

For the past year we’ve been working to create a method that goes beyond providing you tools and equipment. I’m excited to tell you that we’ve figured it out…and it’s called AcuGrowth Success Coaching!

What is Success Coaching? It is a way to help YOU implement the changes needed to create your ideal practice! It is an experienced coach that will help you develop a plan for success and guide you step by step.

We’ve compiled an amazing amount of resources, best practices, training and real-life experience into this program. We’ve written literally hundreds of pages, created books, reports and worksheets. All the tools you’ll need to enhance your practice and implement productive marketing programs.

We also realized that this effort would be just another workbook sitting on a shelf collecting dust if we didn’t include a coaching component to help you overcome the paralysis caused by a struggling practice.

The importance of having a coach is illustrated in the graphs below. Notice in the 2nd graph that each new program begins at the busiest time in your practice. All too often you’re busy treating the patients generated from the first marketing effort when it is time to start the next program. Your coach will provide the help, exactly when you need it!

Without AcuGrowth Coaching

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With AcuGrowth Coaching

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Now that you understand the concept…Are you ready for the details? 

It includes the following tremendous resources -

• Fast start Personal Marketing Makeover – We’ll analyze your needs and implement two marketing methods that will have an immediate impact.
• Custom Marketing Program – We’ll provide you with a custom 12 month marketing plan. Systematically implementing the right program at the right time.
• Social Media Marketing basics - We’ll help establish your presence on the internet and turn your experience as a healer into an Online Force for Good!
• Personal Coaching - You’ll receive four one-hour personal coaching sessions in your first 60 days. These sessions will be focused, effective and drive the changes you want to make to your practice. Plan on having assignments, follow-up, accountability and a measurable Return on your Investment.

Plan on immediate success. By the end of the first two calls we’ll be implementing your Personal Marketing Makeover. The next 4-6 weeks you’ll be so busy treating patients that you’ll wonder what’s next!

There are requirements and limitations to the program and due to the personal nature of the coaching, once the program is purchased, it is not refundable. This is a commitment and an investment in your practice.

• AcuGraph will be an integral part of your practice success; you must own AcuGraph to participate in AcuGrowth personal coaching. (Don’t worry, we have easy payment plans)

• Our focus is on generating new patients for your practice. You must master the basics of using the AcuGraph. The 12-module AcuGraph Seminar Series is a prerequisite requirement. If you don’t yet have the Seminar Series, you can purchase it at the time you purchase your AcuGrowth personal coaching.

Are you excited to get started? We ARE! Our pilot testing saw most clients make back their money MANY times over within the first weeks of the program.

Imagine the good we can do in the world…

If we help hundreds of YOU create successful practices…

That HEAL hundreds of thousands of people!

A Goal like this makes Work feel like Play!

Click here to apply for the AcuGrowth program!