Through the Associate of Science in Chiropractic Technology (A.S.C.T.) degree program, Palmer College of Chiropractic, which has offered chiropractic staff training since 1966, has qualified as a PACE-recognized provider for the Certified Chiropractic Clinical Assistant (CCCA) certification offered by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB).
Those students who complete the A.S.C.T. program are considered to have met the required education and internship components for CCCA certification, should they decide to obtain this additional credential, and are eligible to sit for the exam with proof of completion of their A.S.C.T. degree. (See www.fclb.org for exam details.)“Regulatory requirements for training in allied health are changing to meet new demands in an ever-changing healthcare environment,” said Palmer’s Vice Chancellor for Academics Robert Percuoco, D.C. “Palmer’s A.S.C.T. degree program provides graduates with unique chiropractic supportive training to meet such requirements.”
While X-ray training and certification is required by virtually all states, the majority still do not have specific training requirements for staff performing other billable services involving patient contact. The FCLB, which deals with maintaining uniform standards in areas related to chiropractic licensure, regulation, and education, has developed this national clinical chiropractic staff certification to offer continuity from state to state. One motivation to establish a more uniform standard is in reaction to insurance companies’ accreditors who are, in many cases, requiring that those performing billable procedures, such as physiotherapy, be credentialed. States will make individual determinations regarding acceptance of the FCLB’s standard.
The CCCA certification was developed to provide staff training for basic clinical procedures other than radiography. Palmer’s A.S.C.T. program, however, is a comprehensive associate’s degree program offering hands-on training in physiotherapy, patient history-taking, recordkeeping, and performance of physical, orthopedic and neurological exams. In addition, it prepares students to take X-rays, preparing them for the ACRRT certification exam or other state-based radiography exams. Students also are provided with the business management skills needed in a chiropractic office such as insurance billing and coding, bookkeeping, office management, chiropractic philosophy, ethics, communication and more.
According to Cathy Eberhart, director of the A.S.C.T. program, “In our experience, doctors who utilize chiropractic technologists are able to be more productive because they can see more patients in less time.” She further notes that “vicarious liability issues or issues of doctor liability for staff actions should also be reduced due to the stronger knowledge base staff have when comprehensively trained.” For additional information about the A.S.C.T. program, contact Lisa Gisel at (563) 884-5743, [email protected], or go to www.palmer.edu/asct.