Chloe knew she was onto something when the speaking invitations started rolling in from other states. She was respected, and justifiably so. Her reputation had spread to the point that she was being touted as an expert.

But it hadn’t always been like this.

Chloe had spent many years as a “typical” acupuncturist. She had a good practice, worked hard, and helped lots of people.

But she was also ignored, and even shunned, by other healthcare practitioners.

In the modern medical model, she found, acupuncture is still seen as “experimental,” “out there,” or even downright “quackery.” Of course she knew these were misconceptions, all-too-common misconceptions, but nevertheless she was labeled, and she struggled.

The acupuncture profession is noble and respectable, with a rich history and outstanding record. But even so, Chloe sometimes felt she couldn’t look other “Doctors” in the eye or speak confidently about what she did.

The referrals she did receive were usually “last chance” cases who had been everywhere else without success. When she helped them, the referring doctor might ask what she did, but his eyes would glaze over as soon as she attempted to explain the diagnosis.

That all started changing in 2006 when Chloe purchased her AcuGraph system.

As her conversations with patients began to revolve around evidence—objective evidence—her stature in her patients’ eyes increased substantially. Rather than the last stop on the desperation railroad, her patients started regarding her as the first line of defense, and the source for clear explanations and hope.

But, even more astounding was the response of her healthcare colleagues. Using AcuGraph as the basis for communication, she offered evidence—scientific evidence—to back up her results, and they viewed her in a completely new light. For the first time in her life, she was truly a colleague, and she could look other professionals in the eye without feeling somehow diminished.

But that wasn’t the best part.

It started with a specific patient and a typical story. The concerned parents had brought their child to all sorts of doctors; they were continually told there was nothing more to do. They ended up with a referral to Chloe, more likely out of desperation than any sense of real hope.

But there was a glimmer of hope. It flickered on the first graph, sparked in subsequent treatments, and burst into full illumination as the child improved immensely and the graphs reflected it.

Nobody could believe the results they saw in an “untreatable” condition. It’s the kind of thing that doesn’t quietly pass and slip into happy memory. The parents saw to that.

The parents of the child Chloe had helped happened to have some friends. In fact, they belonged to a support group for families struggling with the very problem Chloe had helped. And word got around.

As she helped more and more of these kids, her name and fame spread far and wide. She was invited to speak to local support groups, to bring her results, to offer the same glimmer of hope she had seen on that first child’s graph.

Then, one day, the invitation came from another state—3 states away. As a national expert in treating these cases, the invitation asked, would she please consider giving the keynote address at the national convention? She could hardly believe it.

If you ask Chloe, she’ll tell it to you straight. She’s just a typical acupuncturist trying to help all the people she can. She never sought the limelight, and certainly didn’t set out to become an internationally recognized expert in anything.

But even as she tells you these things, you can see it in her eyes. She’s pleased that she had the right tools at the right time to help that first child. She’s proud of her well-deserved reputation. And she’s committed to making a larger difference in the world than she ever thought possible.

Using the latest technology doesn’t just give you objective evidence to share with patients and colleagues. And it’s more than simply adding scientific underpinnings of your work. It’s a statement about you and about your practice.

You use the best because you are the best.