coaching service page: consult (speak) with Dr. Gillard
What are my clients saying about my coaching service? Check it out here: testimonial page
Coaching Service Page Quick Links
My Qualifications | How to Start Setting up Your Coaching Session | The Levels of Service | Additional Services | Scheduling & Availability | Frequently Asked Questions | Testimonials | How to Upload Your MRI | Current Fee Schedule | Purchase Your Coaching Session | Coaching Session Policy |
Do you have back pain and/or radiating leg pain (sciatica) that just won't stop? Have you had a failed surgery and don't know what to do? Do you have neck pain and/or radiating arm pain that is driving you crazy? Are you confused about your diagnosis and don't know what the available evidence-based treatment options are to fix your problem? Did you understand your doctor's five minute explanation for the reason you're suffering debilitating pain and what kind of surgery needs to be done? Do you know the key questions to ask your spine surgeon during that important consultation?
If you're confused, let me personally help you via a Zoom Consult?
Have you been told you need back or neck surgery but don't know which technique yields the best results? Do you even know the difference between open discectomy, microdiscectomy, endoscopic discectomy, percutaneous discectomy, Nucleoplasty, bone cement, PRP therapy, SED, IDET, Disc Biacuplasty, PIRFT, ozone therapy, and Prolotherapy? Or, if you need a lumbar or cervical fusion, do you know the difference between ALIF, PLIF, TLIF, PLF, OLIF, 360° fusion, XLIF, ACDF or the artificial disc replacement surgeries?
If you really want to understand (1) the exact reason you're having the pain and (2) the best available evidence-based treatment options to fix the pain, then email me right now to set up a Zoom Coaching Session? Here's my email: Chirogeek@chirogeek.Com
I've been doing these online coaching session since 2003 and have gotten very good at pointing back and neck pain sufferers in the right direction with regard to further treatment, including surgery. Just have a look at my testimonial page and you will quickly see how satisfied my past clients have been with my service: Coaching Service Testimonial Page:
For example, let's look at just one of my many testimonials on my Testimonial Page which was written by a highly respected Federal Judge:
Dr. Gillard's Qualifications
- I have been a licensed chiropractic physician since 1987 and have treated/evaluated/consulted tens of thousands of patients over that 35 year period.
- I have worked as a professional spine researcher and have published spine-surgery-related papers in several high-impact Spine Journals, including one paper in the number one spine journal in the world, the journal SPINE. [Here's a link to that paper] Therefore, I am very knowledgeable about the current state of spine research, chronic pain treatment options, and surgical techniques.
- I am a Full Professor of Clinical & Basic Sciences, as well as the former Coordinator of Radiology and Coordinator of Basic Science for a very well respected and evidence-based chiropractic college, Palmer College of Chiropractic-San Jose and Life-West College of Chiropractic.
- In addition to teaching almost all of the schools clinical pathology, for years, I previously taught Advanced Lumbar Spine Differential Diagnosis & Pathology, which was a deep dive into all the possible causes of spine pain, with or without extremity pain, and what treatments are best to ameliorate this pain. Many of these lectures were put on YouTube and can be watched here on my YouTube channel, plus I am currently beginning to update this lecture series as of April, 2024: Dr. Gillard's YouTube Channel
- I spent two years working for a very busy and well respected orthopedic spine surgeon , so I sure know a thing or two about spine surgery, as well as what really goes on behind the scenes.
- I have also previously worked with another very well respected spine surgeon from the Los Angeles area and have one paper published with him. Check it out at this link: New Cage Filling Technique for XLIF
- My core science education is up-to-date, as I have fairly recently refreshed my biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, physiology, anatomy and psychology at, amongst other places, San Jose State University, before passing the MCAT which led to my acceptance into medical school at the age of 50. Furthermore,I'm currently teaching spinal anatomy, gross anatomy, and physiology, so I'm always up to date with what's going on in those subjects.
- I was also a state-appointed Qualified Medical Evaluator for California for over 10 years and have rated hundreds of cases of permanent orthopaedic disability during that time.
- I am also one of you, for in 2003 I suffered a "botched" microdiscectomy that left my sciatic nerve root permanently scarred and damaged which significantly altered my life and damn near killed me. Little did I know that the surgeon was trying an experimental procedure on me, a technique that is never done anymore (tried to reattach ligamentum flavum). Therefore, I know from a first-hand perspective the frustration and horror of living with chronic pain & lack of function and can truly empathize with you and your chronic pain.
How to Start Setting up Your Coaching Session
The interested party should first send me an e-mail that briefly explains his or her chronic pain situation. You can add things like how the injury occurred, the magnitude and duration of pain and the recent treatment history. Note: I don't need anything in-depth here, something very short – we can go deeper into things later, if I accept you as a client. Please email me at chirogeek@chirogeek.com if you're interested in proceeding.
What's next? If I think you're a good candidate for my coaching, then I will invite you to upload your latest MRI, CT, and/or x-rays, or share your images with me through the imaging center's server. An older MRI is also useful, if available. You may upload your imaging to anyone of a number of free servers such as Google drive, Dropbox, or WeTransfer. Make sure you send me the link, so I can download them. If you don't know how to upload your imaging, I created a YouTube video that will show you how at this link: How to Upload Your MRI Images.
NOTE: If you are going to get your imaging disk from the imaging center, tell them NOT PASSWORD PROTECT THE IMAGES! This password production creates all sorts of trouble, so tell them not to do it.
NOTE: if you don't feel comfortable uploading your images, then you may also send your imaging to me via US mail or USP; however, if you want the imaging returned, you must include a self-addressed postage-paid envelope, so I can easily put them in the mail. Without this return, postage paid envelope, your images will be destroyed a month or so after our coaching session, unless you instruct me otherwise.
Also Important: do not send your images requiring a signature! I probably won't be available to sign for these, and I will not go to the post office. So don't require a signature, please.
*Please mail your imaging disks to the following address:
8891 Acorn Way
Gilroy, CA 95020
What's next? Once I receive your imaging and make sure they are of diagnostic quality, I will contact you by email and we can proceed with scheduling process.
Levels of Service
There are currently Four Levels of Coaching Service available to the general public:
#1) STANDARD COACHING SESSION: For non-healthcare professionals who do not frequently look at imaging,.
Details: You and I will spend between 31 to 60 minutes together on Zoom or the telephone, during which I will (1) review the answers to your pre-consultation questions (important); (2) go over your MRI images with you, so I can show you where the potential pain generators are and make you understand what's going on; (3) discuss evidence-based further testing and/or treatment options for your unique problem; and (4) answer any lingering questions you may have.
If you don't want to speak with me personally, then I can make a .mp4 video of me going over your images and giving you my opinions with regard to causation and further treatment. Note: you must answer my pre-coaching session questions in order for this email version of the coaching session to be possible.
Note: It's also good to have a function WebCam, for I may ask you to repeat some motor and/or orthopedic tests and ask for you to point out the exact areas of pain.
The standard session also will include a Zoom video recording of me going over your MRI images with you. Note: I don't record the part where we go over the answer to your pre-consultation session questions. Also Note:This recording is for your eyes only and is not to be used or redistributed in any way on the internet or any other platform.
#2) FOLLOW-UP COACHING SESSION: For those clients that have already been through the initial coaching session with me and it's been less than 12 months since the original session, I have a 15-20 minute follow-up session available.
Typical Scenario: this follow-up session is typically used when a client, whose condition has not changed since the previous coaching session, has obtained a new MRI (better quality), new CT scan, or flexion/extension radiographs and wants meet via Zoom to go over them. Another common scenario occurs when the client has obtained a second opinion with the spine surgeon and wants to discuss the recommended treatment options with me.
If you think you need a follow-up session, please email me.
#3 EMERGENCY COACHING SESSION: The typical wait-time to speak with me is 2 to 3 weeks. If, for whatever reason, you need to speak with me within 48 hours, I do offer an Emergency Coaching Session. With this level of service, I will squeeze you into my schedule within 48 hours. Note: it will most likely be over my lunch break or at the end of the day. Note: there is an extra fee for this emergency session, which is in addition to the usual coaching service fee.
The typical scenario for an emergency coaching session is the client is in the hospital and surgical decisions need to be made quickly. Others have used it because they have an important appointment with the spine surgeon in a day or two and just discovered my website/YouTube channel.
Additional Services:
Zoom MRI Training:
I do have a 60 minute MRI training course that I offer, via Zoom, to primary health care physicians, spine care specialists, or any other licensed healthcare provider. During the session, you and I will go over the MRI appearance of some of the most common causes of spine pain, as well as a few complex cases.
To qualify, you must have a basic knowledge of reading MRIs, which you could get (if you need a refresher) from these two YouTube videos: (1)How to Read Your Lumbar MRI and (2)How to Read Your Cervical MRI.
please email me if you're interested. Email Dr. Gillard
Basic Medical Report of Findings
If you want an official basic medical report to follow your coaching session, there is an option for that, but only a few choose the premium service. This will include a very brief and possibly abbreviated history of injury, subjective complaints, and assessment of your condition via orthopedic findings, neurological findings, and imaging findings.
Note: this is not a medical-legal report and cannot be used to support disputes over causation, disability or Social Security.
Note: you must request this immediately after the coaching session or before the coaching session. I will not go back and do one of these reports more than a day after the coaching session,for I will have forgotten your detailed information by that time.
Comprehensive Medical-Legal Reports:
I do on occasion write comprehensive medical-legal reports at the request of your attorney. these reports can be used to settle issues of causation, temporary disability, Social Security, and/or permanent disability. If you're interested, please contact me by email. Email Dr. Gillard
Scheduling and Availability
As of late (2024), it usually takes between 2-3 weeks before I can actually speak to you; however, these times can vary.
Remember, there is an option for an Emergency Coaching Session (see above for details).
Reschedule List: You can also request that I put you on the Reschedule List in hopes of getting to talk to me sooner. If a client does reschedule and a spot opens up, then I will email clients who are on this list in attempts to filling that vacant spot. Note: whoever responses to my email first, gets the open appointment – first come first serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why do you want to see the actual MRI images (DICOM images) from the disk? Isn't the radiology report good enough? No. As Medical research has indicated, which I completely agree with, radiologists are very good at picking out dangerous pathology that may kill you; however, they often ignore or even miss even the most common causes of back and neck pain. Here's a research paper to support that position: [2] Therefore, I must see your images with my own eyes on my own software.
- My images are all online on a password-protected server/website. Can I just send you the link and password, so you can look at my images on the website? I don't like doing this. If you insist, I will do this, but the platform's software is typically far inferior to that which I'm accustomed to using. For example, I typically can't draw and measure the size of the vertebral canal or neural foramen or even the size of the disc herniation, which is important information with regard to recovery. I prefer you call your imaging software and get a copy of the MRI's DICOM images and then upload that. But its up to you.
- E-mail Response Time: I typically respond to all client emails within 24-48 hours. However, sometimes I get extremely busy with my teaching duties (especially during midterms and finals), so don't be discouraged if occasionally it takes me more than a day or two to get back with you, regarding a non-urgent question.
- How Do I Join the Zoom Coaching Session? Once we schedule the coaching service, I will send you a Zoom link via e-mail that you will click on (or run in your browser) when it is time for your session. After clicking the link, Zoom will give you directions as to how to join the meeting. There are many YouTube videos that show you how to use zoom. If you are new to using zoom, here is a good instructional video that will show you how it works: Zoom Tutorial.
- May I Record the Coaching Session? it doesn't matter to me, but I will not give you control of the meeting, so you would have to use a special software to do this. However, because I record all the coaching sessions and give you an MP4 copy, there's really no reason to do this.
- Do I Really Need to Answer Those Pre-Coaching Session Questions? Yes! About 15 minutes before our session starts, I will skim through those questions, so I have an idea of how to best utilize the time. If you don't answer the questions, I will still have to ask many of them and that will waste time and technically shorten the coaching session! So please, try to answer those questions before we meet :-)
- Do I Need to Write and Send You A History of My Injury and Treatment? No. I will ask all the pertinent questions via the pre-coaching session questions and during our session, so there's no need to write me a lengthy e-mail describing the history of injury, symptoms, and treatment.
- How do I get my MRI images on a disk? By law (HIPAA), the MRI facility that did your study must provide you with a copy of your images, which are almost always placed onto a DVD (disk). Therefore, all you have to do is call the facility and ask for them. Sometimes there is a small fee for making the disk, but I've never seen this fee greater than $35 and a lot of the time it's free– especially if you have your primary treating physician ask for the disk. Also, Make sure you tell the MRI facility not to password protect the disk!
- How do I send my MRI images via the internet? Click here to view the How To Upload You MRI tutorial that I made which will show you step-by-step how to upload you MRI / CT / x-rays, so I can then download them. But remember, any time you upload something to the Internet, there is a remote chance that a hacker may get a hold of your images and thereby get a hold of your name and birthdate. I've never had this happen any of my clients, but if you are at all worried about it, then send them in the mail--remember to include a self-addressed postage-paid envelope if you want them back.
- Is it Okay if I Send You Single Images (.jpgs) of My MRI, Instead of Uploading the Images from the Disk? No! This will not work. In order for me to use my viewing software, I need to have a copy of all of the files on your Disk. I made made to make measurements via the software I use which cannot be done on JPEG images.
- How do I prepare for the coaching session? Once you make payment, I will send you the pre-coaching session questions which include links to videos I want you to watch. These videos will teach you the very basics of how to read an MRI. This is the most important thing you can do to prepare, and you will get more out of the coaching if you have a basic understanding of how to read an MRI.
- What happens if I miss the coaching session? If you don't show up for a schedule coaching session, I will simply pretend that you are present and do the session without you. Everything will be recorded, so I will send you the recording and you can watch at a later time – some people prefer this method, which is fine. The only caveat is that you must have answered the pre-coaching session questions. If you don't answer the questions and don't show up, then I will make a recording of me going over your MRI images and doing the best I can with the information I have.
- Do I Get aRefund if I Miss the Coaching Session? No. However, as mentioned above, I will do the coaching session without you and record the session which will include my opinions and recommendations for evidence-based further treatment .
- How do I pay for my coaching session? (learn more) While I do accept checks and money orders, PayPal, via the PayPal button down below, is the preferred payment method. If you send a personal check, I will wait until that check clears the bank before scheduling you.
- When does payment have to be made? I will not schedule you until you have made payment. So once you're ready to proceed with setting up the coaching session, then please make payment. Please do not make payment until your ready to set up the coaching session :-) Remember, it may take a week or two to actually get in to talk to me, so keep that in mind.
- Do I Get a Refund If I Don't like What You Tell Me? As silly as this question sounds, a person once tried this. The answer is no. I tell it like it is, and if you don't like the opinion I have of your particular situation, you're not entitled to a refund – obviously.
- Do You accept All People Who Have Neck and/or Back Pain As a Coaching Client? No. Not everybody is a good fit for the coaching service I offer. This is why I have you send me an email before going down the process of setting up a coaching session--I want to make sure you were a good fit for the coaching service.
Current Fee Schedule
Standard Coaching Session Fee (31 to 60 minutes): $365 US Dollars
Follow-Up Coaching Session Fee(up to 20 minutes): $175 US Dollarse
Emergency Coaching Session Fee (in addition to one of the above fees): $175 US Dollars
Purchase Your Coaching Session
The best way to pay for your coaching session is to use the "PayPal Button" (Buy Now Button) down below. This payment method allows you to use a Credit Card, Debit Card, or PayPal Account to pay for the Coaching Service. I have been using this system for over 15 years and have never had a single complaint or problem with it. It seems completely safe; however, please take the time to read about their policies here: PayPal Policy.
I still accept personal checks which you can mail to me; however, I will not schedule you until the check clears the bank. This is definitely not the preferred method, but I realize some folks still feel better writing a check." Send the check to...
8891 Acorn Way
Gilroy, CA 95020
Coaching Session Policy-2024:
By signing up and paying for a coaching session with me, you hereby acknowledge and agree to the following:
If you are in severe pain or if you have developed problems urinating or defecating, then go to the nearest emergency department or call 911 – for such a problem is a medical emergency.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, please call 911 immediately and/or go to your local emergency department!
the opinions I put forth during your coaching session are for educational purposes only. Never act on any of my recommendations without running it by your primary health care provider or licensed care specialist.
Even though we are having a coaching session, we are not forming a doctor-patient relationship. Again, this coaching is for educational purposes only and is not being done on a professional level.
because this is for educational purposes only, and I am not forming a doctor-patient relationship with you, I cannot fill out forms/paperwork for you. Common examples include: disability forms, get-out-of jury duty forms, return to work forms, work limitation forms, etc. Also, I do NOT put forth a diagnosis of your condition.
When I review your MRI images, I am only looking for things that could possibly be causing spine pain(i.e., pain generators). I am not reading the images for soft tissue pathology or disease or any other type of pathology. Looking for this sort of thing is the job of the radiologist, so please refer to the radiology report for his or her recommendations and opinions with regard to pathological conditions, such as cancer, infection, fractures, hemorrhage, and/or tumors or anything similar.
reschedule Policy: if you need to reschedule, please do so within 48 hours of the session. If you do not, the session will happen at the scheduled time and convert into an email/MP4 session--see below.
Refund Policy: as long as the coaching session is canceled within 48 hours of its scheduled time and you have made your payment within the previous 90 days, then you will be given a refund, less a $35 administrative fee. (see the "pre-payment has become a problem" section below for more details.)
No-Shows/missed appointments: as already mentioned, it is the client's responsibility to be available to speak at the begining of the designated coaching session start time. If you don't show up for the coaching session, after waiting about 10 minutes, I will convert your session into a MP4/email session, in which I will review the answers to the pre-coaching session questions and then go over your imaging as if you were there. I will also record the part where I go over your images – just like I would during the real session. I will then send you a WeTransfer link that will give you the option to download the recording. I typically take a few follow-up questions by email.
MRI Uploads: although I offer a tutorial on how to upload your MRI images to me, I will not be responsible if some "hacker" gets a hold of your MRI images and steals your name and, maybe, birthday. Although I've never had this happen before or even heard about it happening, nothing is impossible on the Internet. So if you're worried, please send me the disks via UPS or Federal Express.
If you do send me your images via mail, UPS, or Federal Express, if you want them back, you must include a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope, so I can easily put them back in the mail. If you do not, they will be destroyed a month or two after our session unless you direct me otherwise. Furthermore, if they get lost in the mail, either coming to me or heading back to you, I will not be responsible for replacing them. If you are from out of this country, I will not go to the post office and run your return package through customs.
Also note that I do not accept everyone as a client. Typically, after I have read your initial story, I make a decision whether or not you will make a good client for this service. If I decide you are not a good client, know that my decision is not personal – I just don't think you and I are a good fit for this type of education.
Pre-payment has become a problem. I prefer that you make payment within a week or two of your actual coaching session. My PayPal account is not a bank or a place for you to park your money for months or even years. Therefore, if your money hangs out in my PayPal account for more than 12 months, then, after that period of time, it will consider a donation to my website and will not be refundable. Thanks for the donation!
References
1) Corenman DS, Gillard DM, et al. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2-augmented transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for the treatment of chronic low back pain secondary to the homogeneous diagnosis of discogenic pain syndrome: two-year outcomes. Spine 2013;38:1269-1277.
2) Lurie JD, Doman DM, Spratt KF, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging interpretation in patients with symptomatic lumbar disc herniations: comparison of clinical and radiologist readings. Spine 2009;34:701-705.