ON Chiropractic
Ms. Betty Molitor was the inaugural recipient of the OCA's Chiropractic Health Assistant (CHA) of the Year Award in 2013. Pictured left to right:
Dr. Jim Fogarty, Dr. Stephen Schwab, Betty Molitor, Dr. John Schwab, OCA President Dr. Kristina Peterson and Dr. Al Scales.
The OCA will also offer a series of CHA
development webinars in the fall.
and to support them as they work towards
meeting those standards.
Empower Your CHAs
Recognize Your CHAs
Relinquishing control to employees is a
challenge for many employers. However,
it can be essential to growth and worth the
discomfort. In Dr. Fogarty’s practice, the
CHA team operates largely autonomously.
They even do their own scheduling. This is
because the team of three includes highly
experienced and effective CHAs who
can be trusted with a high level of selfdirection. Dr. Fogarty is the first to admit
that he was very fortunate to inherit two
very strong CHAs when he purchased his
practice. The third member of the team
was added during Dr. Fogarty’s tenure
and has gone on to attain a similarly
high level of competency in her role. The
secret is staff empowerment. Dr. Fogarty
encourages his staff to learn from each
other and to grow in their roles. It is his
job to set expectations for his staff to meet
Recognition is an important part of
empowering your staff. In Dr. Fogarty’s
clinic, birthdays and holidays are
recognized as opportunities to thank staff
for their contribution to the care patients
receive. Dr. Fogarty also tries hard not
to let a day go by that his staff is not
thanked for their contributions. Along
with reasonable wages, this approach has
resulted in a stable and highly effective
CHA team. Low turnover and high
engagement are important ingredients in
the success of that team and to the success
of the practice.
The lesson here is a simple one: CHA
talent is not a place to economize. But you
don’t need to break the bank either. Find
good people and build a work environment
that allows their passion for their work and
their pride in the care your patients receive
to be part of the benefit they get from
working with you. Then combine a fair
wage with ample recognition of the vital
role that your CHAs play in the operation
of your practice.
Conclusion
CHAs are an invaluable asset to a practice.
Their value is only enhanced when their
work is empowered, enhanced and
recognized by chiropractors who are
committed to helping their team members
understand and attain their potential.
These are the key ingredients to enjoying
the benefits of the CHA Effect in your
business. ON
Nominate your outstanding clinic
staff member for the CHA of the
Year Award at www.chiropractic.
on.ca/award ̸