Practitioner Spotlight – Dr. Tom Wachtmann, DC
We at Standard Process of Eastern PA are continually impressed with all the practitioners who pivoted and expanded the nutrition component of their practices over this past year. Dr. Tom Wachtmann is one of those practitioners. We sat down with Dr. Tom and discussed how he approached the pandemic and its challenges.
What were some of the challenges you faced during the shut-down?
Dr. Tom: This past year was tough on a lot of practitioners. For me, the hardest time was March 2020 through May 2020. My practice substantially slowed down and it put both of my massage therapists out of commission.
How did you handle the reduction in Chiropractic office visits?
Dr. Tom: I stayed open full-time and tried to utilize that time wisely. One of the main things I concentrated on was talking about the importance of nutrition with everyone I came in contact with.
What did that discussion look like?
Dr. Tom: What I was mentioning to patients was focused around immune system function and optimization through the use of specific vitamin complexes, minerals, herbs, and glandular extracts. My main message I was trying to communicate in order to optimize immune function was, “It’s not the strength of the bug, it’s the strength of the host.”
What effect did this have on your practice?
Dr. Tom: By keeping the nutrition & functional medicine side of my practice going as best I could, I was able to hang on through those hardest months. A lot of patients that weren’t willing to physically come into the office were still ordering supplements over the phone, so we did a lot of mail orders and that really helped keep us alive. In my mind, I just focused on not giving up and tried to do the best I could to help people. That, in turn, came around to help me.
What were the top 5 products that you had the most success with your patients?
Dr. Tom: The top supplements I was recommending at that time were the basic triad of immunity – Calcium Lactate, Cataplex F, and Cataplex C (or ACP). I was trying to get people to do those three at least, but I was also mentioning a few others that are great to go along with them: Immuplex, Cataplex D, Zinc Chelate, MH Echinacea Premium (or Andrographis Complex or Astragalus Complex, depending on their situation), and Prolamine Iodine Plus. I know you asked for the top 5, so the triad would be the top 3 and to add two more – Immuplex and Cataplex D.
From the SP of Eastern PA Team: Thank you Dr. Wachtmann for your inspirational example! We hope everyone enjoys these pictures of Dr. Tom at his office. We especially like his, not one, but two supplement displays!