Sept. 14--An Arizona-based company plans to open four walk-in chiropractic clinics in Chicago and the suburbs this fall, entering an already crowded market.
The Joint Corp. said it signed leases in Chicago, Glenview and Schaumburg. The clinics, to be staffed by up to three chiropractic doctors, will be called The Joint Chiropractic.
They do not accept insurance or credit cards but operate on a cash-only model to keep costs down. Nationally a growing number of chiropractic practices prefer cash-only services to avoid the expense of filing insurance claims and following up on claims denials, according to the American Chiropractic Association. That's even though chiropractic services are covered by many insurance plans.
The company said the average fee for a visit is $22.
The Joint Corp., based in Scottsdale, operates more than 260 clinics and has been growing quickly in recent years through franchise operators. The company said the Chicago clinics will be company-managed.
"We think that Chicago, being an active and health-conscious city, fits our profile for a good market," spokeswoman Marcia Rhodes said. "Joint patients don't come to us because they are in pain. They do it because they're active and want to stay that way."
The Chicago clinics will be at Ashland Wellington Plaza, 2904 N. Ashland Ave., and 162 N. State St. The suburban clinics will be at 1426 Meacham Road, Schaumburg, and Glen Oak Plaza, 1415 Waukegan Road, Glenview.
The company told analysts last month it is on track to open 65 to 75 clinics this year. But all that growth is causing some pain. Analyst Shawn Bitzan of Feltl and Co. told executives on a conference call that he has heard customers are frustrated by long wait times.
The company said it hopes to cut down on customer frustration with a new smartphone app it is now testing that tells customers their wait times. "Restaurants use them and other types of businesses that have a queuing system," CEO John Richards said. "And certainly, as time goes on, we will refine this as necessary."
The company reported losses of $3 million last year on revenue of $7.1 million.
jrussell@tribpub.com
