Patents for pure medical and surgical methods were virtually unheard of three decades ago, and were rare in the 1980′s. But, beginning in the mid-90′s, several patents a week were being issued, though no official count exists. While the American Medical Association says it knows of no case in which one doctor has paid another doctor royalties for use of a technique, doctors with patents increasingly say they will seek such fees aggressively.

Where medical practices, and all other professional health care practices are concerned, it seems to me that the intentional withholding of new skills and techniques for reasons of personal gain, as with patents, is detrimental to the patients we serve. In addition, patents could restrict access to treatments, obstruct peer review of new therapies, and add to the cost of health care.

Technorati Tags: medical patents

Joshua Eldridge, DC, CCSP, a 2002 graduate of National University and Health Sciences, is a sergeant in the U.S. Army. He’s a Military Integrator/Maintainer with the 321st Military Intelligence Battalion, in fact, who will be securing data and communications conduits in and around the military compounds at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan.

Dr. Eldridge spent his first tour of duty in Iraq (2004-2005) working with the troop medical clinic in Baghdad. In that role, he was one of the first chiropractors to treat soldiers in combat situations.
“Chiropractic is a much-needed addition to the military and I hope that I am able to add to the freedom of others by treating soldiers.”

For more on this entrepreneurial doctor, click on dynamichiropractic. You’ll be able to find out how to follow Dr. Eldridge’s overseas tour online.

Technorati Tags: chiropractic, chiropractor, Dr. Joshua Eldridge, U.S. Army

There are wonderful ways in which to volunteer your services, or open your clinic for special events, in every community. Fall through winter is an especially good time of year as their are busy food banks, numerous toy drives, and harvest and holiday events that make it easy to help others in need wherever your clinic or office may be located. Entrepreneur doctors know how to make the people connection!

Technorati Tags: chiropractors, community leadership, entrepreneur doctors

The article suggests that holistic practitioners are “going to be poised” to help the growing number of people in the U.S. who want to take better care of themselves and their health.  Why the sudden change in a country that has been allopathically-focused for over a century? It appears that Americans are turning to alternative forms of treatment because they are realizing that conventional healthcare in the United States, though reasonably effective at fighting disease, does nothing about preventing disease in the first place.

As people become increasingly aware that their lifestyle affects their health, the industry for holistic practitioners is going to explode. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals with natural health degrees can anticipate growing job prospects. They project that the employment rate in alternative medicine will grow around 42 percent between 2004 and 2014. According to Forbes Magazine, as massage therapy becomes accepted by more insurance companies, the massage therapy market is expected to see 20 percent growth through 2016, as cited by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There will be 24,000 health care professionals, including physicians, trained in oriental medicine by 2010 and the number of chiropractors will nearly double from 55,000 to 103,000.

When it comes to health, it is fast becoming crucial for individuals to become proactive instead of reactive, i.e., instead of looking for a health solution once we have misused our bodies to the point of illness, they can make the lifestyle changes necessary to prevent many diseases in the first place. And, many individuals are doing just that. A survey sent out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to 23,000 adults nationwide in 2007 found that Americans spend $34 billion annually on alternative medicine. Approximately one-third of adults use alternative medicine. That includes a wide range of services from meditation and yoga to dietary supplements. Alternative medicine now accounts for more than 11 percent of out-of-pocket spending on health care in the U.S. The report concludes that 38 million adults visited alternative medicine practitioners in 2007. People spent an estimated $27 billion in 1997.

Full article and resources at:  mylocalhealth.com (linked above)

Technorati Tags: acupuncture, alternative medicine, chiropractors, massage therapy, naturopaths

Well, it looks like medical doctors are having the same issues of being business-challenged. I just read an article about physicians who are going to business school to get their MBA. Apparently, nationwide more doctors are finding it both useful and necessary to add business fundamentals to their core of medical know-how, according to health care organizations and observers.

The effort encompasses more than just learning tools for helping doctors run their offices; it is about reclaiming their voice in a sector that has become dominated by non-medical professionals, such as managed care firms, professional administrators and accountants. “Physicians nowadays need to appreciate and understand business concepts and thinking,” said Dr. James Anderson, a Cornerstone Health Care pediatrician and member of the practice’s board who is working toward a business degree. “The way we train in medicine and the way we approach problems in medicine is different than in the business world.”

The conviction that physicians can no longer be blind to the ways of business is at the center of Dr. Bill Applegate’s efforts to retool the curriculum at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Applegate, dean of the medical school, said he intends to take “a slice” of Wake’s Babcock Graduate School of Management content and implement it for the medical campus’ doctors in training. He figures it may take another two years for it to happen.

Until it becomes a staple of medical school studies, gaining business acumen is largely a voluntary effort for doctors. And by no means are most doctors adding to their already super-crowded schedules with business homework.

I believe that it is time for chiropractors, and other health care providers, to take back the business of their professions from those who are not doctors and are truly “in it” for the money. We can still maintain the “heart of a doctor,” but we also must develop the mind of a business professional.

Technorati Tags: business professionals, chiropractor, MBA

Your Internet business website is the engine of your Internet business. You canâ??t move forward if you donâ??t have a website up and running. Following are website tips that Internet entrepreneurs of any level should follow. It doesnâ??t matter if you are new to the Internet business world or if you have logged in successful sales. You can always tweak your website to make it more effective.

Website Strategy #1: Forget what your Web Designer said! A Web Designer may make beautiful websites, but normally these types of websites are not effective in Internet business. Instead, you should follow the example of successful Internet entrepreneurs. You will see that their websites are much more toned down, which has proven to increase sales.

Website Strategy #2: Avoid using Java and Flash on your Internet business website.

Java and Flash are unnecessary and can cause viewing problems for some website visitors. The last thing you want is for an Internet visitor to come across broken links because their Internet browser has trouble with Java and Flash.

Use straight HTML. Hyperlinks are easy to create. HTML is viewable in nearly all web browsers and loads quickly. You want to make your website easy to navigate through for the website visitor.

Website Strategy #3: Avoid using audio and video files on your Internet business website. Also avoid using several graphics. All of these have large file sizes and take a significant amount of time to load. Website visitors will become impatient and click off your page.

Note: If you do use graphic files then make sure to compress their file size. You can compress the file size of the graphics because you donâ??t need to have photo quality.

Website Strategy #4: Create a powerful, eye-catching header. Seek out a graphic designer that can create an effective header.

Website Strategy #5: Use headlines and direct response copy writing on all your websites. A great headline will catch the attention of a website visitor. If you decide to place a picture with your headline or on your website, make sure that the picture prompts the visitor to then read the headline or accompanying text.

Website Strategy #6: The purpose of your squeeze page is to generate leads.

Your squeeze page must contain copy that prompts the visitor to subscriber to your list. Make sure that you also focus on driving traffic to your squeeze page.

Follow these strategies and you are well on your way to a thriving Internet business website.

Among the top Bay Area Website Design entrepreneurs and seasoned technology veterans is a dedicated team of creative and tech-savvy individuals with immense talent and commitment to the cause of building, promoting and effectively marketing web business solutions. One goes by the name of Wheel Media. Some of the tips incorporated for your web reading have been inspired by words and corporate ideals set forth by them, others of course, are the result of many trials and errors by successful web site designers and marketers that seek to help newbieâ??s find the right path.

The best online business build up tip for Bay Area Website Design needs comes in the form of a simple quote from the gurus of website gyan, who state that â??Email marketing works for Amzaon.com, Pottery Barn and thousands of other companies, and it can work for you too!â? Well, they would know, because they have handled many such impressive portfolios for a wide range of clients from varied industries and their results speak for themselves. An e-mail is the best way to generate interest, sustain it through further effective and useful information that is pertinent to the reader and also at the same time, be concise and relevant with text and images to hold the curiosity and attention of the potential website visitor.

The same Bay Area website design firm attributes many a success and satisfied clientele testimonial to their effective and organized management of Internet marketing strategy solutions, developed in a personalized manner for accommodating individual client needs for new marketing ideas. It is a truism that an experienced hand will make light work as will many; with a creative marketing team, branding, strategy, trial launch, market research, response records and follow-up changes (if any) can be effectively dealt with since the load is not on one or two people, being a large enough company to handle multiple client needs.

Getting creative, aesthetic and business presence enhancement help, especially when it is related to online business ventures, it is extremely important to consider a local area company that is focused on customer needs and can follow up with a proper client servicing department after initial discussions and web design quote has been tendered. Those Bay Area website design firms that began as entrepreneurs and that have a proven track record as seasoned marketing, advertising and technology veterans will definitely be in a better position to help present day online business owners select ideas that will drive sales by presenting the best variety in quality e-commerce solutions for them.

Mohammed A. Baig
http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/among-the-top-bay-area-website-design-entrepreneurs-and-seasoned-technology-veterans-116051.html

Have you ever felt like you were running a rat race? Everything seems like it takes forever, costs 10 times as much as you expected and you still feel like you are a million miles away from achieving your financial goals?

Thatâ??s because people often approach their financial growth with the wrong strategies. You may have heard the saying, â??The strategy you used to create your million is drastically different than the strategy to maintain it.â? Itâ??s the same thing here. The strategy you used to get started is drastically different than the one you need to grow consistent six and seven figure revenue.

Here are six of the common mistakes entrepreneurs make when trying to grow their bottom line.

Mistake #1: Setting unrealistic expectations. I conducted a workshop where one of the students shared she planned to create $500,000 in new revenue in the next 12 months. She was barely making $50,000 and was launching a brand new business. This plan seemed unrealistic to me. Unrealistic expectations are different than setting â??stretch goals.â?? When you are unrealistic, you will often over spend and under perform because you believe you have everything on track for a huge leap in income.

Mistake #2: Focusing on price versus payoff. This being so focused on what everything will cost you that you miss the opportunities that will allow you to leap forward. The saying, â??It costs money to make moneyâ? means that when you invest in high payoff opportunities, you will leap forward. Many people who are stuck financially donâ??t have the financial resources to invest in the tactics that would actually position them for a huge windfall.

Mistake #3: Making short-term decisions that sabotage the long term goal. I once knew someone who would say yes to any opportunity that crossed his desk if it meant he might make a couple thousand dollars. The problem was that most of these opportunities took a lot of his personal time, time he wasnâ??t spending on his own goals. This man couldnâ??t understand why his own programs werenâ??t profitable â?? when he spent up to 50% of his time on short term opportunities at the expense of his long term, more profitable projects.

Mistake #4: Trying to keep up with the â??Jones.â? Just because your competitor is experiencing huge financial wins with their strategies doesnâ??t mean it will work for you. Itâ??s dangerous to just watch what others do and try to replicate it without understanding the entire strategy. A carefully crafted growth strategy will have many steps â?? you can probably see only one part of it. This mistake can be very costly because you invest your time and money â??following the Jonesâ? strategy only to experience a flop because you invested in only one piece of the whole puzzle.

Mistake #5: Doing everything themselves. I canâ??t tell you how many entrepreneurs find themselves in a growth trap because they wonâ??t build a team. If it is just you, then you can only accomplish what you have time to accomplish. When you build a team, you can leverage your time exponentially. Think of it as a way to finally clone yourself. Delegating and outsourcing is one of the fastest ways to grow your results and your bottom line.

Mistake #6: Sacrificing quality for revenue growth. This is absolutely one of my big pet peeves. And I know itâ??s the opposite of what many gurus teach. But here is the deal. If you are so focused on growing your bottom line that you sacrifice the quality or experience of a client along the way, you will impact your future revenue opportunities. Unhappy clients donâ??t come back. And usually they tell A LOT OF PEOPLE along the way.

If you are making one of these mistakes, what should you do? Here are three quick fixes to get you back on the fast track to bottom line bliss.

1. Know your high payoff opportunities. Typically they are based on your values, priorities and goals. If you need help with this step, check out the Unstoppable Goals Method.

2. Slow down and evaluate the real profit story. Just because it looks good doesnâ??t mean its profitable and a good use of your time. Create a cost analysis for your opportunities. Look at things like: when will it make me money, how much money and time will it take, what are my â??hiddenâ? costs, etc.

3. Respond, donâ??t react. Opportunities will always come at you. If you have a strategic plan mapped out, you will be able to take action on the right ones. Without a plan, you are just reacting to â??Bright Shiny Objectsâ?¢.â? Successful people create and follow a strategic plan.

Melanie Benson Strick
http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/6-common-mistakes-entrepreneurs-make-trying-to-grow-their-bottom-line-138151.html

San Francisco, CA – Robyn Levin, a San Francisco based strategic marketing expert and speaker, today releases a concise marketing plan template that helps small business owners get unstuck. â??Entrepreneurs are great at creating products and providing services, but they tend to hit a roadblock when it comes to setting a marketing strategy,â? Levin said.

Itâ??s designed to help overwhelmed business owners raise capital, expand into new markets, discover proven Internet marketing techniques and differentiate their businesses
According to the US Census Bureau, each day 2,356 Americans go into business for themselves, and these small businesses now account for a whopping 78% of all US companies. Levin notes that the vast majority of these firms donâ??t have a strategic marketing plan to keep them on

â??Those who fail failed to planâ?¦â? Even Fortune 500 companies have been launched from a simple sketch on a cocktail napkin. Itâ??s the sheer clarity of a pocket-sized plan that makes it easy to follow and get results. Seat-of-the-pants marketing may work in the short term, but especially in an uncertain economy, an organized written plan is crucial. As weâ??re often told, nobody plans to fail, for more detail www.pdf-stampers.com they just fail to plan. It’s clear to most internet users that anyone can profits from their own E-book. Think of how many offers on the web you have seen selling them on any topic for $10, $50, $100, even $200? By providing a free E-book to your audience you can profit in so many ways residually. You have nothing to loose by offering a free E-book and so much to gain.

Levin wrote the Cocktail Napkin Marketing Plan e-book to give entrepreneurs access to a cost-effective, customized plan – one they can create themselves on the plane during their next. A professional speaker and author of â??No More Cold Callingâ?¢â? says, â??Robyn Levinâ??s e-book, Cocktail Napkin Marketing Planâ?¢ is like marketing magic. In less than two hours, I created my Marketing Plan with specific quarterly goals that were simple, straightforward, and achievable.â?

A serial entrepreneur and marketing expert, Levin condensed her business successes and experience building clientsâ?? companies into this marketing business plan template. â??Itâ??s designed to help overwhelmed business owners raise capital, expand into new markets, discover proven Internet marketing techniques and differentiate their businesses,â? says Levin. On the contrary, for more detail www.easy-pdf-toolkit.com many so-called gurus launch an E-book marketing campaign using an introductory price then increase the price after few days. These marketers state clearly in their advertisements when the price will raise and what the new price will be. This policy is designed to produce many sales in a short time. These marketers know that even after they increase the price, their products will continue to sell.

Dennis
http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-marketing-articles/the-cocktail-napkin-marketing-plan-ebook-turns-entrepreneurs-into-instant-marketing-strategists-616538.html

What makes a successful business owner or entrepreneur? Some say creativity, others say passion, organization, or leadership skills. The qualities that help make entrepreneurs successful range from the practical to the esoteric; from learned skills to natural tendancies, or the way you think, act and behave.

The qualities that make entrepreneurs successful often have to do with “big picture” skills like planning, acting and thinking strategically, or being able to create or envision something that doesn’t exist yet.

Successful entrepreneurs also tend to be able to detach themselves from what’s happening, get a bird’s eye view, in order to get a new prospective and see what’s really happening and what has to be done.

Here (in no particular order) are some of the most significant entrepreneurial characteristics:

Â? Energy and enthusiasm.
Â? A passion for what you do.
Â? The assertiveness to push forward your ideas.
Â? A love of novelty and new things.
Â? Take initiative to do what needs to be done.
Â? Creativity and imagination.
Â? Be a self starter, make things happen on your own.
Â? Be able to manage your time and be productive.
Â? Be really good at following-through.
Â? Be ready for anything that comes up.
Â? Think positively and believe in yourself.
Â? The ability to make decisions.
Â? Not be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help when needed.
Â? Effectiveness at persuasion.
Â? Problem solving skills.
Â? Ability to be flexible, adaptable, and creative.
Â? Think “out of the box”.
Â? The ability to produce results.
Â? Ability to take risks and do so in a calculated way.
Â? Enjoy the ride, if you don’t why bother?
Â? The ability to negotiate and compromise, not get so stuck that nothing moves forward.
Â? An exacting and exhaustive mentality.
Â? An appropriate sense of urgency.
Â? Resilience after Failure, not giving up when things get tough.
Â? Alertness to all that’s happening around you.
Â? Leadership: The ability to envision the future and motivate others to follow that vision.
Â? The ability to manage stress. If you can’t who will?
Â? The persistence to keep on going.
Â? Confidence in your ideas and yourself.
Â? The ability to reflect and improve
Â? The ability to plan, act and think strategically

Which entrepreneurial traits do you possess?

Which ones would you like to develop?

Whether you’re already running a business, or just thinking of starting one, you might want to consider sharpening your entrepreneurial skills so that you can achieve the business success you’re looking for.

© 2004-2007, Susan Martin, Business Sanity.

Susan Martin
http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/qualities-of-successful-entrepreneurs-113610.html