reviews
Reviewed: The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction
Review by: Steve Chandler, Coach/Motivational Speaker and Author of Fearless and Shift Your Mind: Shift the World - November 2009
The construction of our happiness is a project we usually leave to others. We want other people to make us feel happy and safe and fulfilled. We look outside ourselves for our happiness, and it never seems to fully arrive. And even when we do receive some appreciation and love, we never know whether to trust it.
Because we are looking in the wrong place. We are barking up the wrong tree. Other people aren't the answer.
This book can get us over to the right tree. Dr. Jeff Miller has given LIS a construction guide that contains fifty brief and understandable steps. Inspiring steps, too! Steps that add one elemental piece of happiness at a time, in a witty conversational style. It's also full of fun stories and absolutely great quotes.
I especially like his chapter about planning his own funeral. After attending' the funeral of his father, and observing how many tedious arrangements are involved in such an activity, he decides he doesn't want his family to go through the same thing when he dies. So he goes back to the mortuary and plans everything out for his own death so it's all taken care of.
Not only does this eliminate procrastination, but it also gives our author a fresh, clear sense of his own mortality. Life on earth is brief! Let's get on with the show! If you have goals it's time to turn them into projects!
It's time to live.
These fifty construction steps are the perfect antidotes for those of us who tend to put off living and wait for good fortune to arrive from somewhere else. Somewhere like the future.
As you read through one step after another you start to feel the momentum building for a call to continuous action. This book gives you things to do, not just things to think about.
In his chapter on our ultimate time-waster, the negative mainstream media, Dr. Miller concludes with these unforgettable words: "You cannot save time. Time can only be wasted or spent wisely."
That was one of the many passages my yellow highlighter has marked for future reading. Time can only be wasted or spent wisely. That's the message I take from this book.
Reading this book on how to construct happiness is time spent wisely. Especially now when so many of the books in the human performance and "self-help" field are absolute wastes of time! Books about the law of attraction in which you learn to become passive and close your eyes and dream of a far-off future. Books about "attracting" wealth. Books that feed on people's hopes and dreams.
This book does the opposite. I t opens your eyes and feeds on your love of action. It returns the power to you. It shows you how to build happiness, rather than waiting for it to occur.
And in my favorite touch, Dr. Miller's last chapter asks you to read his book again. I loved that! Why should we believe in a book that does not believe in itself? Believe in this book. And you will really know how good it is by reading it a second time and taking the steps it gives you.
Reviewed: STAT
Spinal Examination: How to Examine a Patient Who Is Paralyzed by Spasm
or Writhing in Pain
Review by: Dynamic Chiropractic December 17, 2006 by Jeffrey Kintish,
DC
Rated: 9 out of 10
STAT Spinal Examination is the perfect book for the chiropractic student. The examinations presented for the spine are basic and to the point, eliminating all of the fanfare that occurs during the examination of an acute patient. You can read this book in about an hour and apply what you learn easily and immediately in practice. Dr. Miller makes a very important point that all chiropractors should bring to the examination table: “You will never see something you do not look for.” We should all remember this statement when caring for our patients. Having a plan and flow charts can help avoid missing something.
Chapter one deals with the challenges you will meet during your examination. Chapter two discusses the patient history-taking process. A few handy forms are supplied for screening purposes. A great deal of information about your patient can be gleaned quickly by using these checklists. Chapter three reviews the examination of the cervical spine. Finally, chapter four discusses assessment of the lumbar spine.
The cervical and lumbar examinations are similar and include ROM, body type, height, weight, temperature, posture, DTR, sensation, muscle tests, palpation, orthopedic tests, etc. The cervical portion also includes the cranial examination, which is mostly done through observation. Dr. Miller adds interesting ideas that will make the process quick, yet detailed. He also supplies you with a few examination forms, which flow nicely.
Although this supposedly is a text on how to examine an acute patient, there actually is not much discussion about how you should go about doing that. I would say a better description of this book is that it is about how to do a quick exam while gathering the maximum amount of findings possible. The history and examination are the most important steps in making your differential diagnosis. It is best to get it right the first time.
Reviewed: Description
of Practical Assessment of the Chiropractic Patient
Review by: Post Graduate Course from a Flyer Produced by the
Logan College of Chiropractic Post Graduate Department
April 12-13 2003
When Dr. Miller presented the seminar here on campus last November he received some of the highest evaluations ever. Everyone commented that his presentation was very professionally done and was one of the most practical seminars they had ever attended. Every bit of the information Dr. Miller presented was immediately usable in the office Monday morning. Dr. K. Jeffrey Miller is the author of the textbook Practical Assessment of Chiropractic Patient; A Thorough Orthopedic and Neurological Examination in Less Than 10 Minutes. In this class Dr. Miller begins with their review of orthopedic and neurological tests. He then discusses the dilemmas in orthopedic and neurological testing including specificity, performance variation, differences in interpretation, meeting CPT coding requirements, recording findings, etc. After that he discusses and demonstrates practical examination strategies and then teaches us how to do the orthopedic and neurological examination for chiropractic practice. And he doesn't stop there. There's more! He spends time on history and recordkeeping and then discusses extending the exam to higher CPT code levels. This outstanding presentation includes a bonus: 20 tests that only require knowledge of the sign or finding, paying attention and recording and findings. Everyone who attended last time said it was one of the best seminars ever. You will too!
Reviewed: Practical
Assessment of the Chiropractic Patient
Review by: Iowa
Chiropractic Society Newsletter by Dr. Bill Moreau 2002
Hurray for Dr. Miller for writing an understandable and reasonably priced text dealing with the chiropractic physical examination! Dr. Miller does a great job with his chiropractic textbook in making it applicable to the daily art of practicing chiropractic. This is a reference for practicing doctors by a practicing doctor. Instead of a laborious textbook of test after test, this book is a very refreshing approach for a crisp, yet thorough, physical examination of the patients we see and treat on a daily basis. It should really be considered a reference instead of a textbook because you will want to revisit the information he shares frequently.
The soft cover is reasonably priced and contains a wealth of information in just 90 pages. I appreciated the author saving my time and cutting to the chase. The text relies on ample images to assist in demonstrating the examination processes in a clear manner. Dr. Miller also did a great job with the layout of the book. He uses 10 tables to assist the reader in interpreting test procedures and includes condensed notes along the side of the readings. The best table is a flow chart that describes the 10 minute examination. This chart identifies the critical elements of the examination and the ancillary tests and observable findings that also need to be documented. He in addition uses some good Kentucky humor to lighten the reading.
The core of this text is Dr. Miller's 10 minute examination. While believe he can perform the 70 examinations in 10 minutes or less, I'll need a double espresso to achieve that time, until I can practice the procedures more! With practice this format allows the overlapping of procedures to produce multiple test findings in the shortest period of time. The addition of the supplementary procedures to the examination process moves the total up to90 tests. Now this is a thorough examination! Thank goodness he includes a four-page check off form that follows the 10 minute examination.
Busy clinicians will also appreciate the office forms he includes. The best forms deal with obtaining a history in the problem focused patient and a different form for the new patient. The forms are made to be removed and copied for your own use. It is really the only downside to this format of examination and using forms. I think they tend to make us think inside the box, but that is a personal opinion.
One the most helpful sections of the text deals with evaluation and management coding. Finally, here is a source that clearly defines what procedures need to be performed to meet the guidelines for using the advanced E/M CPT billing code schedules! He uses a bullet-identified list to assist you in selecting and achieving the correct billing codes. Clarification of this issue alone will allow you to recover the modest cost of the textbook the first day you received it. If you do not already understand the billing codes, you need to read this section.
If you're looking for more effective and complete physical examination for patients you provide care for, you need this book. The text is a great value, it costs $40 and it can be ordered through the Dynamic Chiropractic bookstore by calling 714-230-3175 or you can send an e-mail to the orderdesk@MPAmedia.com. You should get this text, you will be very glad you did!
Reviewed: Practical
Assessment of the Chiropractic Patient
Review by: Dynamic
Chiropractic June 17, 2002 by Stephen Savoie, DC, DABCO
Rated: 9.5 out of 10
Although only 91 pages in length, Dr. Miller has packed a great deal of very useful information into a compact text. As the subtitle indicates, the purpose of the book is a "thorough orthopedic and neurological examination and less than 10 minutes". The first few pages are directed to those steps to be taken prior to a formal examination with particular emphasis on the case history and tools necessary to conduct a proper examination. Dr. Miller takes time to address a CPT coding of evaluation and management procedures, and the requirements for the differing levels of examination, information that many healthcare professionals still do not understand. He also discusses the proper method to record the history and examination.
The author has developed an interesting "examination flow chart" to organize the procedures discussed in the later sections of the book. He has grouped the tests to identify those always performed, those findings that should be observed, and procedures that are supplementary and may or may not be pertinent do all examination. The remainder of the book addresses the various tests that make up each group.
The diagnostic tests are presented clearly in the text and are accompanied by photographs that clearly illustrate how each test is performed. The progression of the tests is logical and follows a patient’s position during an examination. The section on test grouping is also supplemented by tables outlining important clinical information needed by the examiner.
This text is well referenced and in addition to the main body of the text, Dr. Miller has included an appendix with sample history and examination forms that follow the examination procedures presented in the body of the book. By following the progression as stated in the text and using the accompanying forms, a chiropractor can achieve the goal of an orthopedic and neurological examination in under 10 minutes. For busy practitioners this book could be a very useful tool. Dr. Miller has made an excellent contribution to our profession.
Reviewed: Practicing
Chiropractic
Review by: James Edwards DC, DABCO, LAc, Dynamic Chiropractic, Sept. 14, 2005
Rating 10 out of 10
Dr. Miller is a gifted teacher and prolific writer, having had more than 100 of his articles published in 28 different periodicals. He is the author of On-The-Job C.A.R.E., now in its third edition, and most recently, Practical Assessment of the Chiropractic Patient. He graduated from Palmer College in 1987, completed his orthopedic diplomat in 1992 through Parker College and holds certifications and strength, personal training and sports chiropractic. In addition to full-time practice, Dr. Miller has served on postgraduate faculties of three chiropractic colleges and is experienced in review and defense of chiropractic malpractice cases.
Practicing Chiropractic is divided into eight main sections: Getting Started, Procedures and Paperwork, Marketing, Patient Evaluation, X-Rays, Patient Education, Patient Care, and Potpourri. Each section is subdivided into chapters that deal with specific topics related to the main heading. Many chapters are only one or two pages in length that is not a negative; Dr. Miller's writing style is concise while remaining conversational.
Having thoroughly enjoyed the materials presented and Practical Assessment of the Chiropractic Patient, and having used many of Dr. Miller's ideas to update (read: improve) my examination procedures, I was excited to have the opportunity to review his newest work.
Somewhere in the middle of reading practicing chiropractic, it occurred to me that a more appropriate subtitle might have been, "Everything You Should Know about Private Practice (But Did Not Know to Ask)." As the saying goes, "Experiences the best teacher, preferably other peoples." This book is chock-full of tidbits of collective wisdom and practical knowledge gleaned from Dr. Miller's years in practice. This is a great addition to the chiropractic literature and is surely destined to make it onto the required reading list of every chiropractic college in the world. However make no mistake: seasoned practitioners will find a plethora of helpful tips as well.
As with Dr. Miller's previous works, this book is an extremely enjoyable read, with a balanced blend of practical applications, referenced articles, and humorous anecdotes mixed throughout. It would perhaps be over the top to say that this book covers “it all” but this reviewer would be hard-pressed to think of a topic worth mentioning that Dr. Miller has not covered here. Hyperbole aside, I can unequivocally guarantee that anyone who reads this book will find themselves either repeating the phrase, "that's what I thought" or "I should have thought of that" over and over and over. Read it and you'll see what I mean.
This book is absolutely worth your time and is equally valuable as a teaching tool for your staff. Assigned each staff member a different chapter or section and have them give a short report at your next staff meeting. Offer a small price to the staff member who comes up with the best "new" idea from reading this book. It will make your practice run smoother and reduce your stress levels. Now just go do it!