If you have been a patient at In8 Wellness Center, read any of our online reviews, or seen our content online you will come to learn that the service that we offer is unlike anywhere else in the world.  It is true, there are PLENTY of other chiropractors to choose from even within one square mile of our facilities. But what makes what we offer so unique and why we are sought out is because the health care that we deliver is not just to help people with injury, or even teach them how to prevent that injury from re-occurring, but to actually help our patients continue on a journey to become even healthier than they w ere before they became injured.  This is called 3rd tier healthcare.  Let me explain….

The model of health that we follow in the western hemisphere is known as first tier “healthcare”. It is not really even healthcare and is more appropriately named “sickcare”, and specializes in the treatment of disease or crisis care.  The strategy is to wait until you become sick or symptomatic, then go to the doctor (if you can even get an appointment), get some diagnostic testing if you’re lucky enough to have adequate medical insurance coverage and a competent physician to order the right testing, get a script for a pharmaceutical drug to mask the symptom, and hope that your symptom resolves over time.

Now, there are true medical emergencies that require medical attention of course, but this has been proven to be only 30% of doctor and ER visits according to the Wellness Council of America. Meaning 70% of all doctor and ER visits are unnecessary! Overall, the cost for these unnecessary ER visits alone is just under 14 billion dollars annually! No wonder unpaid healthcare bills account for the largest percentage of bankruptcies in America.

If you weren’t aware of how poorly this model works you can simply look to the opioid crisis in the United States that has led to so many addictions, disabilities, and death. 

The #1 reason for opioid prescription?  BACK PAIN. Something that chiropractic has been world renowned to correct.

Many chiropractic and physical therapy offices follow this model because it is typically insurance dependent and is for patients that are looking for a quick fix or temporary relief.

Second tier healthcare is known to be a more preventative approach.  This has recently become more popular with some insurance companies and hospitals because there is a lot of money to be made in routine screening, especially for diseases like cancer. This model is actually better named ‘early detection’ since it is designed to catch disease in its early processes before any symptoms are apparent rather than prevent them. 

There are far fewer practitioners practicing this model, especially conservative doctors like chiropractors and physical therapists because there is less insurance reimbursement, and more skill required by the practitioner to educate patients on how to correct problems before they become significant injuries. 

Third tier health care is what I call promotion of health.  It transcends treatment and prevention of dis-ease by actually helping an individual become a healthier version of themselves over time.  This model of health is what our doctors teach and practice at In8 wellness center.

This model is data driven and customized based on how an individual is functioning. At our office we measure physical health with functional movement assessments, diagnostic imaging with digital x-rays, neuro-spinal assessments with palpation and range of motion.  This allows us to determine what kind of care the person needs from a structural and muscular standpoint.  We also perform general health testing by measuring digital blood pressure, body composition testing with an Inbody machine, and functional nutrition with blood chemistry. 

By understanding all this functional data about someone, we can not only treat immediate problems, but also prevent subclinical problems, and help the individual and their family become healthier year after year. This is why once someone has graduated the first two phases of care in the office we have a wellness membership.  This would be the equivalent to a concierge medicine practice where you pay a fee for routine visits and expertise from the doctor to help you achieve optimal performance, health, and recovery. Not only that but setbacks are inevitable, especially if you are an athlete or weekend warrior. One of the massive benefits of being under routine care is that you have a primary care chiropractor who knows your body and can help save time and money by avoiding unnecessary MD or ER visits.

So if you are the type of person who is looking for a 3rd tier healthcare practitioner for you and your family, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us, it is our mission to help as many families as we can achieve optimal health, performance, and recovery.  Feel free to call our office at 978-655-4979 or send me a direct email at drryan@in8wellnesscenter.com if you have any questions.

Love and light, 

Dr. Ryan Hewitt