We want to use this blog as a way of communicating to our clients, it's a bit more in-depth than a Facebook status or Tweet. We also want to be proactive in educating our customers, because we feel that it empowers you to make the best choices for you. You deserve to be in control of your health.
Maplebrook uses a Community Acupuncture business model, but what does that mean? When I was first told by a dear friend that I needed to go to her Community Acupuncture clinic, the first thing I thought was, "Hippie, hole in the wall, creepy place!" and naturally some red flags went up-especially never having had acupuncture at all. Below is an explanation of what Community acupuncture is straight from pocacoop.com (the website of POCA - People's Organization of Community Acupuncture, the people who created the Community Acupuncture business model).
The Short Version
We define Community Acupuncture as the practice of offering acupuncture:
1) in a setting where multiple patients receive treatments at the same time;
1) in a setting where multiple patients receive treatments at the same time;
2) by financially sustainable and accountable means, whereby community acupuncture clinics depend directly on the support of the people who receive acupuncture in them, rather than on grants, donations, or other funding;
3) within a context of accessibility, which we create by providing consistent hours, by making frequent treatments readily available, by offering affordable services, and by lowering all the barriers to treatment that we possibly can, for as many people as we possibly can, while continuing to be financially self-sustaining.
When the cost is lowered from $60 per treatment to $15-$35 per treatment, we are able to treat many more patients and offer an affordable service. I was baffled to learn about the sliding scale of $15-35--but I was also confused. I figured you only got as many needles as you paid for so if you paid $15, you only got a few needles and if you paid $35, well, you would end up looking like a porcupine. Not so! You get treated the same, no matter what you pay. When the issue of money is removed from the equation everyone is happy and there is a true mutual benefit.
Just in case you were still wondering, Maplebrook is the furthest thing from a "hippie, hole in the wall, creepy place". It is a professional clinic with a setting similar to a doctors office, but much more relaxing. We have a reception area for our customers to fill out paperwork and in the back we have our 2 patient rooms, full of covered recliners (for optimal cleanliness), comfy blankets (for optimal coziness), and soothing music (for optimal relaxation).
Needless to say, my preconceived notion of what Community Acupuncture was disappeared. In fact, I did a 180 and started volunteering after my first treatment this past July. Once Deana educated me on the Community business model and working class movement, I was hooked. I volunteer because I wholeheartedly support the principles behind this business model. Rather than force someone into providing cheaper healthcare, rather than have all this unnecessary overhead that ALL of your profits go into employing, rather than have 50 million managers who do less and less as you go higher up; let people provide cheaper healthcare on their own accord, create an environment where savings can be passed directly to the patients, let's support clinics with ONE boss-the owner. In our society, all we do is complain, but what do we actually do to change things? This movement has gained so much momentum because they are taking action.
So, please, tell everyone you know! The more patients we are able to treat, the more hours we are able to offer our services and the longer we can ensure the continuation of the Community business model. We depend on you just as much as you depend on us.
Thank you for checking out our blog and for allowing us to help you reach optimal health! Until next week!
-Daisy
No comments:
Post a Comment