Health-E News from The Britannia Clinic® Newsletter
Contents
June 2009
A message from Dr. Hasick
Please excuse the absence of communication since last October. On November 7th 2008 my father passed away after a brief challenge with cancer. Since then, I have found it more difficult to attend to some of the practice duties such as writing a newsletter and communicating with you.
On behalf of my family, we wish to express our deepest and most sincere thanks to the many patients who called and wrote to share their condolences following my father's passing. This support for my family and me is so deeply meaningful and greatly appreciated. Thank you!
The past couple of months have echoed significant changes in our economic and political world. One change that will impact all of us has been the delisting of Chiropractic services by the Alberta Government after 40 years coverage. This will be effective July 1, 2009.
As a result, we have restructured our fee schedule to accommodate that change. This will include the transferring of the Alberta Government's $14.00 per visit coverage to you with a slight increase in out-of-pocket expense. The former coverage was $14.00 a visit up to a total of $200.00 per year, per person. There is no longer an Alberta Health Care Premium which saves most families $1,056 a year. This can now be spent on additional services and care, such as your chiropractic care. Another advantage is that for some, you may be able to access your private health insurance plans for Chiropractic coverage sooner as a result of not waiting for your AHC to be exhausted before receiving benefits.
To help enable our patients to continually access our care without an economic barrier being a significant challenge, we have also reduced some of our fees for service in this restructuring. Please visit our website after July 1, 2009 for the new fee schedule.
Our Unique Approach:
Since 1980, the hallmark of The Britannia Clinic and of NUCCA work has been to provide sustainable care to minimize practitioner dependency. It is our interest to help improve your health and well-being and have you maintain it for as long as possible with the least amount of intervention from us. We continue this commitment today.
We have traditionally provided you with the tools you can use to take care of yourself to minimize the amount of clinical care necessary. Health care is provided as a 3 level process:
- Treatment of conditions
- Prevention of conditions
- Promotion of well being
At The Britannia Clinic we attend to those 3 levels of care with an emphasis on prevention and the promotion of well being. Yes, it is true that our bodies do require ongoing maintenance care in order to stay healthy!
Get Moving:
As spring has arrived slowly in Calgary after a seemingly long and endless winter, more outdoor activities are likely to take place now. Gardening, sports and other recreational activities can place greater demands on your body. Hopefully, you have been attending to your stretching exercises and activity levels to maintain a fit and stable system.
Be cautious as you enter into a more ambitious role with outdoor activities, lifting, twisting, bending, gardening, golfing, tennis, etc. If you haven't been into the clinic for a while, a maintenance care tune up is helpful to ensure that your structural and postural alignment is in its most stable and balanced condition.
New Patients:
The doctors at The Britannia Clinic work hard to correct your problem and have you return to your activities of daily living as soon as possible. As the result of producing good sustainable results, we are always in the position of accepting new patients. The waiting time is minimal and if you have family or friends who you feel would benefit from our care, please do not hesitate to refer them to our website at www.c-1.com or they may contact the clinic for us to answer any questions they might have.
New Faces:
I am pleased to introduce Kathy Waters as our new and very experienced chiropractic office assistant. She comes to us with over 10 years experience and is available to help with your clinic bookings. Another new face and voice is Sheila Muirhead. She is working on a part-time basis Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. A "not so new" voice and helpful assistant is Eleanor, who remains 23 years later to continue supporting your care in so many ways. Yes, change is the most constant thing in life and we are continually adapting to the many global and local changes in an effort to continually serve our patients with exceptional care.
Good News!
I am pleased that Dr. Sloane Hunter and her new husband Mitchell Wegman, B.A., R.Ac (Mitch has recently joined us at the Britannia Acupuncture and Herb Centre as a TCM acupuncture practitioner) have some god news! (Please see her notice to you that she shares below in this newsletter).
You are still covered:
Please note: Alberta Health Coverage is in place until June 30, 2009.
New X-Rays at the Britannia Clinic:
New x-ray equipment was installed at The Britannia Clinic in November 2008. The upgraded high frequency generator enables us to produce faster speed films to reduce patient exposure and enhance clarity. We have not made the move to digital x-rays for a number of reasons. The primary reason is that the biomechanical analysis of these x-rays is not yet supported by any software that is accurate enough to satisfy the precision that is required under the NUCCA X-Ray analysis guidelines.
Our new equipment is comparable in speed and exposure to that of digital x-ray facilities, once again, ensuring the most effective and safest care for you.
Forward thinking:
Since 1980, we have continued to work hard at providing good care for all of our patients. We very grateful for this opportunity to be of service to you and the care we provide does not change in its value as a result of any funding changes from the government.
As I reflect back through the 31 years since I was first adjusted with the NUCCA procedure, I can't even begin to imagine not receiving this care ever again in my life! The profound difference it has made in terms of the quality of my life and my health, along with the thousands of patients whom I have had the good fortune to see over the past 30 years, is unparalleled.
For many of you, the importance of what we do is continually reinforced through the results and difference you feel with your ongoing care. It is our hope that the economy is not a barrier to accessing this care for you or your friends and family.
I wish you a wonderful summer and I look forward to seeing you at the clinic sometime soon.
Sincerely,
D. Gordon Hasick D.C. F.P.A.C.
Clinic Director
Dr. Hunter's Update:
Life would not exist if things did not keep changing. That has certainly been felt in our office this past year. Many new staff faces have arrived to greet you at the front desk, and other updates to our clinic have occurred.
Many of you knew that I got married last year to my sweetie, Mitchell Wegman, B.A., R.Ac (from the Britannia Acupuncture and Herb Centre) and now I can soon add "mommy" to my list of titles! I am due October 2, 2009 so you will see my presence at the office more sporadic as my belly and baby continue to take centre stage.
I will continue to serve my patients at the clinic until Saturday, September 5th. Dr. Hasick will be modifying his hours during the time I am away to accommodate the needs of the practice and ensure that you will be well-served. He will also be available every second Saturday for those of you that cannot make it in during the week.
I am grateful for the opportunity to help you now and in the future. In order to balance work and home over the next year, I hope to return in January 2010. This will initially be for an evening part-time schedule. Check with the staff for more specific days and times when the year-end approaches.
If you have any concerns for how your care will be transferred while I am away, or you would like to have a checkup before my brief departure, please ensure that you book in to see me before September 5th to provide a smooth continuation of your spinal care. If not, I look forward to seeing you again in the New Year!!!
Blessings and Health,
Dr. Sloane Hunter