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In today’s show, Dr. Don is joined by Dr. Clare Haitsma, a graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic who has been in practice for 46 years. After chiropractic school, Dr. Haitsma returned to Alberta and practiced for 30 years before retiring to go on church missions.
That retirement didn’t last long, and six years ago, he returned to start a new practice from scratch in Lethbridge, Alberta. It hasn’t been an easy road to rebuild, and there have been many changes along the way, but it’s important to keep focused on your values and the needs of your patients.
Dr. Clare Haitsma is an inspiration to the profession, he shares some of his routines and rituals that help keep him focused and on purpose. Nothing is more inspiring than seeing a Chiropractor in practice that long and still loving to serve people daily.
Key Takeaways:
How did Dr. Haitsma come to chiropractic medicine? [1:40]
Why a car accident led to a career path switch. [2:00]
What studying at Palmer College was like in the 1970s. [4:21]
Why Palmer was considered an eccentric college. [4:30]
What was the highlight of attending the school? [6:22]
Why Dr. Haitsma knew he would come back to Alberta. [7:55]
How chiropractic medicine evolved during his time in business. [9:00]
Why Dr. Haitsma retired. [11:08]
What drove the decision to go on church missions? [11:40]
Why Dr. Haitsma ended up in Lethbridge.
What it was like rebuilding a practice from scratch. [13:00]
Learning to refocus on what mattered in his practice and for his clients. [15:35]
Overcoming apprehension of creating care plans. [18:00]
What is the benefit of care plans? [18:45]
Why it’s important to give patients the choice of their treatment options. [20:40]
How has Dr. Haitsma’s technique evolved? [22:50]
What kind of personal rituals does Dr. Haitsma have to maintain focus? [25:35]
What would Dr. Haitsma tell his younger self? [27:20]
Words of wisdom. [30:30]
For more information on “The Informed Chiropractor” with Dr. Don and Brandi MacDonald, visit
