Many people enjoy going to a nice restaurant or hotel where they know the service is phenomenal. For Dr. Zach Kucera, this level of service–whether inside or outside the office–plays a vital role in his philosophy and translates into his passion for helping others through chiropractic care.
After a remarkable recovery from a sports injury in college, Kucera embarked on his journey toward becoming a chiropractor. Devoted to helping patients return to activities they enjoy, Kucera knew he belonged in a service-based field because of his commitment to helping people feel their best. He translates this care into his family life with his wife and two sons, which includes coaching sports. “When I’m at practice and games, I’m the coach helping improve skill sets,” he said. “It’s still serving, but in a different way.”
Kucera understands the importance of spending time with family and doing things outside of work or chiropractic appointments. “I never want to disrespect a patient’s time. My goal is to deliver what they need efficiently to get patients back to what they love. That’s why we keep office time purposeful. I’d rather my patients have more time in the day for their family or to do activities they love than spend time in the office talking about football scores or the weather.”
Since becoming a chiropractor, Kucera has made life adjustments to ensure he always gives his best to his patients. For example, instead of working out in the morning, he waits until after work to go to the gym so his hands are steady and he isn’t fatigued before going into the office. Although invisible to his patients, this type of attention to detail allows him to focus fully and provide the most precise care.
Kucera understands his patients’ needs but also recognizes there is a fine fine line between what they want to hear and what they need to hear. “That’s why I don’t push,” he said. “I’m willing to meet patients where they are, but it’s their health; I can’t force a result.” Instead, Kucera focuses on mindset and positive reinforcement.
This step-by-step approach transitions their focus from pain to improvement, which is a positive. “The brain doesn’t comprehend negatives such as not or don’t,” Kucera stated. “Just like telling someone not to think of purple elephants, you can’t tell someone not to think about pain, or that’s exactly where their mind goes. Instead, we help transition their attention to the positive. By asking a patient, ‘How much better was your morning?’ instead of ‘How is your pain this morning?’ we shift the patient’s focus towards the progress they are making. If you allow yourself to shift your focus, you’ll see improvements versus setbacks, which is huge.”
Kucera emphasizes physical, emotional, and mental corrections. “Self-care isn’t selfish. If the time spent in our office is the only time a patient spends on himself/herself, it should be meaningful.” He often jokes with patients, “As much as we love seeing you, it’s our goal not to. I’m here to serve you so you can continue to work and do the things you enjoy with the people you love.”
