DECEMBER 2017 LEDGER TRANSFORMING THE PARADIGM OF MEDICINE, ONE PATIENT AT A TIME THE 13375 University Avenue, Suite 100, Clive, IA 50325|www.thelivewellclinic.com|515.279.9900
T his past year has been one of constant change and growth for The Livewell Clinic and myself. Between an array of new hires, solidifying our IV therapy processes, implementing a robust membership program, and the dozens of hours I spent on the road at continuing education events, the business has evolved more in 2017 than perhaps any other year. I’m happy to say that, lately, it feels like we’re driving our vision of empowering our community using education-based preventative medicine forward on a larger scale than ever. When I started the clinic almost a decade ago, my mentality always forced me to think small. While I was certainly equipped with extensive knowledge of functional medicine, I wasn’t confident in my knowledge of running a small business. So, while I had great success helping my patients make meaningful shifts toward optimal health, I never allowed myself to imagine what it would look like to implement these shifts on a wider scope. That, I believed at the time, was for someone with more business savvy and resources at their disposal. But, as the clinic progressed and we implemented more and more services and processes into our repertoire, I began to realize that I was wrong. I was the person to extend the reach of functional medicine to a wider community. Sure, there were things I needed to learn, but through consistent dedication and a passion for the work, I was learning all the time. This idea hit me all at once a few months back. One beautiful, sunny Iowa day, as I was stepping into the clinic to see a round of familiar patients, I was struck by a keen sense of discouragement. Was this the rest of my life? Walking through these same doors every day, seeing predominantly the same set of local patients, addressing the same health concerns? Obviously, I’m grateful for each and every one of my wonderful patients, and I love working with them, but in this particular moment, the scope of The Livewell Clinic seemed strikingly limited.
best versions of themselves, all the lives we’d touched and mentalities we’d transformed, and the feeling passed. I was far from limited. In fact, I was on the cusp of achieving so many of those lofty goals that I never allowed myself to consider possible all those years ago. With every new patient that we empower to drastically improve their health, our overall vision for the future gets a little clearer and closer. The fact is, in today’s new economy of medicine, it’s no longer enough to simply go to your doctor when you’re sick and have them give you a Band-Aid solution. We’re trying to facilitate a widespread change in communities across the country to restructure the way people address their health, fostering a culture of preventative, knowledge-based medicine. Our mission is bigger than simply providing our patients with naturopathic vitamins or encouraging them to avoid dairy. Instead, we strive to deliver hope and to improve our patients’ health on the most fundamental level. We want our patients to live happier, longer, and more fulfilling lives. As the scope of the practice expands, we can reach more patients than ever and make an even more profound impact on our community. It’s a thrilling time for me, my team, and my patients. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together next.
But then I looked around at everything we’d accomplished in the past few years, all the tools we’d given our wonderful patients to realize the
317-776-9942 515.2 9. 00 –Dr. Z a cha ry Watki ns
1
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
thelivewellclinic.comMade with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog