Hi everyone...It's been a while!
Finally, we find ourselves on the other side of the pandemic, and what a great feeling that is! The clinic has returned to normal operations for some time now and a number of changes have occurred since the last announcement in the summer of 2020. So here we go...
ACW Staff Changes & NEW Clinic Hours
Earlier in early June 2022, we bid farewell to Joanne Dixon, the clinic's long-standing office manager for well over 20 years. Joanne was the first friendly face that greeted me when I entered Active Chiropractic & Massage (the original name of the clinic) way back in the fall of 2003. I am grateful for all the help she provided in supporting my 'newborn' naturopathic practice way back when. She has since popped into the clinic on occasion, and I can report that she is loving retirement and is doing well.
In March 2022, the clinic welcomed Debbie Witwicki as the new office manager. Debbie has had so much to learn since she joined us, with a team of 2 chiropractors, 1 physiotherapist, 4 massage therapists, and 1 naturopathic doctor...no doubt! She has risen to the occasion and is a delight to have behind the front desk. Whether it be a spooky or festive time of year, you can always find Debbie decked out head-to-toe in the latest holiday clothing and accessories...it often brings a smile to our patients' faces! Welcome to the team, Debbie!
Although in the past the clinic has had 1 office manager and 1 part-time assistant, since Joanne's departure, we have been operating with just Debbie at the helm. Although Debbie is one of the most hard-working office managers I've ever met (barely taken a day off since she started), she is not super-human and has required the odd day or two or three off. In these cases, the team at ACW comes together to manage the front desk as best as we can while she is away. And so far, so good—no one has burnt the clinic down yet! Ha! We also appreciate our patient's patience in the few instances where this has disrupted regular operations at the clinic.
As many of you already know, Active Chiropractic & Wellness's front desk closes midday for lunch. This means that during this closure you may not be able to pick up supplements, book appointments, pop in to ask a question, or drop something off. Bear in mind that during this midday closure, some of the team members are still seeing patients, some are taking a break/ eating lunch, and others (ahem, me) are charting, researching, replying to emails and faxes, returning phone calls, placing orders, tidying and preparing for the next patient. Phew! Although this is a 'break' of sorts...it still can be busy inside, behind the scenes!
Please take note of the general clinic hours versus my own booking hours:
General Clinic Hours (front desk):
Monday | 9 am–noon & 1:30-5 pm |
Tuesday | 9 am–noon & 1:30-5 pm |
Wednesday | 9 am–noon & 1:30-5 pm |
Thursday | 9 am-noon & 2-7 pm |
Friday | 8:30 am–noon & 1:30-5 pm |
Dr. Jasper, ND's NEW Hours (as of January 9, 2024):
Monday | CLOSED |
Tuesday | 9 am-noon & 1:30-5 pm (NEW) |
Wednesday | 9 am-noon & 1:30-5 pm |
Thursday | 10 am-noon & 1:30-6 pm (NEW) |
Friday | 9 am-noon (NEW) |
Saturday | 9:30 am–4 pm (1st or 2nd Saturday of the month, September to June) |
Sunday | CLOSED |
As you can see, I have reduced my hours for 2024. Why, you may ask? Well, November 2023 marked 20 years as a naturopathic doctor. As some of you know, I spend many late evenings at the clinic (for the past many years)...and I'm getting tired! So, as a healthcare practitioner, I must take my own advice and look after my own health so I can continue to be your ND. I also hope to spend a bit more time with my family, as well as focus on some new exciting projects for my clinical practice. As I approach my 50th birthday in a few years (eeks!), I want to ensure that I am working smarter, not harder.
Price Adjustments for 2024
As of January 2024, and after 20 years in practice, I will be increasing my prices. This is a very challenging task for me—I don't enjoy doing it, but like every small business, this is a necessary step I have to take in order to keep going and growing. I have always done my best to keep my visit prices as low as possible, in hopes of providing access to services to the people who need it most. When I returned to Manitoba as a new graduate in 2003, there was a mere handful of naturopathic doctors in the province (I'm guessing there were around a dozen or so of us at the time). Currently, we have around 50 NDs in the province of Manitoba—isn't that exciting?! I recently took a “peek” at the fees that some of the other naturopathic doctors in the province are charging and was fairly surprised to see that I was the second-to-lowest. With some very careful thought and calculating, I have adjusted my prices to better reflect what the provincial averages look like and doing my best to avoid a massive hike.
Please click here to check Dr. Jasper, ND's New Fee Schedule – EFFECTIVE January 1, 2024.
Emails: Maintaining Boundaries
I have been one of the few practitioners who has embraced emails as a means of communication with patients. I still find that email is a convenient tool for many reasons. But I have also found it to be very time-consuming! While I state my office hours as above, I am still learning how to create healthy boundaries around “personal time” and “professional time”, and emails are probably the trickiest part to manage. I would like to provide some guidance to my patients about how I hope to navigate email communication going forward:
Continue To Use Email For... | Avoid / Limit Email For... |
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*Emails requesting new medical advice will be considered for a fee. Clarifications on old advice are not necessarily billable unless it has been more than one (1) year since your last appointment.
The Holidays & Office Closures
As we nearly wrap up another trip around the sun, we will be taking some time off to be with our loved ones. Please keep in mind that I will be away from the clinic from December 22nd to January 8th, returning on January 9th at 9 am. Pay attention to your supplement supplies and be sure to place your orders well before December 21st. As well, if you are hoping to get in one more follow-up consultation before year-end, the time to book is NOW! There are only a few spots left in the year as I write this announcement. Unfortunately, at this point, there are no more slots for new patient appointments (except for a cancellation list!).
The front desk will be closed to the general public from December 24th to January 1st, reopening on January 2nd. You can still reach out to Debbie at the front desk from January 2nd to 5th if you wish to book an appointment or order some supplements. And while I may keep a slight eye on my emails, I am hoping to “unplug” to some degree and give myself a much-needed break.
Final Thoughts...
I am ever so gracious to my patients for all the positive feedback that I have received in recent months. Twenty years in practice is definitely a milestone...and somewhat hard to fathom! Where did all that time go? And yet, when I reflect on the person (and naturopathic doctor) I was in 2003...she is VERY different than who I have become today. And this is a good thing. I have accumulated a lot of experience and learned many things (sometimes the “hard way”), and I look forward to what the future holds!
Shout-out to my parents, Rab and Sue Wiebe, for facilitating my dream to help people! I could never have made it this far without your love and support! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
So what does the future hold? Well, I am inching my way slowly toward 'modernizing' my clinical practice. I am an extremely “late bloomer” when it comes to shifting to EMR (electronic medical records) and so I hope to tackle this beast in 2024. How I've gone this long without EMR is BEYOND me! So much time will be saved by transitioning to this new platform. This is partly why I am adjusting my time schedule for now, to allow time to work on this project.
And while this is still a bit down the road, I am starting to consider the idea of adding another ND to my team. For now, I am just ME...a sole proprietor, a naturopathic doctor, a prairie girl, a mother, a daughter, a partner, a friend, a health detective, a curious and creative human, always pursuing the best version of herself...and inviting like-minded folks to join me in this incredible journey!
Let's all continue to be curious and kind, and let's take care of each other—and let's take care of the earth too!
Happy Holidays and I wish you the best of health in 2024!
