MANITOWOC – Dr. R.J. Ziolkowski, a Manitowoc
chiropractor, prides himself in being innovative when it comes
to educating the community about health.
His latest innovation is Manitowoc Health Online, a free
online health magazine.
“We’re utilizing the latest technology,” said Ziolkowski,
editor of the site which can be accessed at www.
manitowochealth.org.
He stresses that the Web site is not a back pain magazine,
but one geared to general health and wellness.
“Health is having a condition in which all your body parts
are functioning to 100 percent capacity,” Ziolkowski said.
“Wellness is improving the human potential at every level.”
The Web site, introduced in fall, has more than 20 health
categories with dozens of articles in each written by national
experts. Topics cover everything from smoking to breast cancer
to yoga, acupuncture and small pox.
The categories with the most “hits” are Diet &
Nutrition, Family Medicine, Women’s Health and Men’s Health,
he said.
Ziolkowski is quick to point out that some of the articles
may not necessarily be chiropractic-friendly.
“We feel if anyone looking at the site has health decisions
to make, we want to give them both sides,” he said.
The articles will regularly be updated as new health
information becomes available, Ziolkowski said.
He is now in the process of localizing the Web site by
involving other area healthcare experts.
“If someone has a question and they want more information,
they can have a local adviser they can access,” he said. “You
want to empower people to make good decisions and also give
them outlets to do that with.”
The Web site has links to hundreds of national sites as
well, including some that are not health-related.
“It’s helping their whole life. It’s designed to make a
little less stress in your life,” he said.
In addition, visitors to the Web site can subscribe to free
e-mail articles that will be sent to their homes twice monthly
on timely health topics.
Ziolkowski’s innovative approach to health education
started when he began his practice 20 years ago. He ran a
weekly newspaper health column, something that was unheard of
at the time.
“At the time, hospitals didn’t advertise. Drug companies
didn’t advertise,” Ziolkowski said. “Times have changed.”
Earlier this year, he started reaching out to the community
through a weekly health show on WOMT radio called “Five
Minutes to Health,” which can be heard at 10:15 a.m. on Friday
mornings.
He also gives twice-monthly healthcare classes for patients
and non-patients at Ziolkowski Chiropractic Clinic, 1310
Washington St.
Manitowoc Health Online is just one way in which he
utilized computers in his practice.
“It seems a few years ago, we put the first computer out
front for billing purposes and now there’s one in just about
every corner of the clinic … or so it seems,” he said.
Ziolkowski can use his laptop to show patients animated
videos on a variety of topics, such as what happens when a
spinal disc is damaged through age or injury.
He also has a clinic Web site at
www.zchiropractic.com.
“It’s amazing how computers have changed our life,” he
said.
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