Objective Cervical Spine Assessment in Practice: A Workflow Overview from Dr. Gabriel Garrison, DC

Dr. Gabriel Garrison practices at Thrive Spinal Care, a chiropractic group of three doctors. He has been with the practice for approximately one year. The clinic sees an average of 50–60 patients per day, or roughly 240 per month, and is supported by administrative staff who handle patient intake and input. The practice is primarily cash-based and is registered as out-of-network with most insurance carriers, though it does work with Medicare.

Why Thrive Spinal Care Uses NeckCare

Dr. Garrison integrates NeckCare into the practice from the very first patient visit. He uses three NeckCare assessments — Range of Motion, Joint Position Error, and the Butterfly Test — as staples of his initial evaluation, applying them "pretty religiously" on day one. He reports that NeckCare builds credibility with patients, with most remarking they have "never had or seen anything like this before." He views the system as a beautiful and helpful program for both his patients and his clinic.

Patient Acquisition

New patients arrive at Thrive Spinal Care through a mix of channels, including community screening events and both internal and external referrals.

Clinical Workflow

NeckCare is integrated into the patient journey at multiple touch points:

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  Initial evaluation (Day 1): A full NeckCare assessment is performed on every new patient on their first visit. The three staple tests — Range of Motion, Joint Position Error, and the Butterfly Test — are used to establish a baseline and to help explain why a patient is presenting with neck pain or dysfunction.

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  Progressive checkups throughout active care: The same three tests are repeated at follow-ups to track patient progress against the baseline.

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  Maintenance and wellness: As patients improve, the cadence shifts toward maintenance and wellness checks, with the same NeckCare assessments used to monitor ongoing function.

Dr. Garrison uses these progressive measurements to celebrate patient improvements, flag any decline, and determine whether the cause of a change is internal — something he and his colleagues can address in the treatment plan — or external. The data informs the next steps in each patient's care trajectory.

Billing and Pricing

Dr. Garrison includes the NeckCare assessment within the cost of the initial exam, which also covers orthopedic testing and the other components of a standard examination. The exam is priced at approximately $150. The practice is primarily cash-pay and out-of-network, with Medicare being a notable exception.

Return on Investment

Dr. Garrison reports that he has recouped his investment in NeckCare and more. He attributes this to the credibility the system builds with patients and its role in reinforcing the perceived value of the practice's services and helping patients to stay on track.

Differentiation

Based on Dr. Garrison's knowledge, few — if any — other practitioners in his area are currently using NeckCare, which he considers a clear competitive advantage. He notes that patients consistently remark on the novelty of the assessment, and he views this as a driver of patient trust and long-term retention.