American Chiropractic Association: Chiropractic Profession Supports Patients’ Right to Know Benefits, Risks of All Treatments
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) recently expressed its support of a patient’s right to be informed of the benefits and risks of any health care treatment as the Connecticut State Board of Chiropractic Examiners begins testimony on the issue of informed consent.
When testimony ends, the board is expected to make a determination of what information chiropractic physicians should include as part of an informed consent discussion with patients before beginning treatment.
“Informed consent is already mandatory for all health care professionals in Connecticut and the chiropractic profession fully supports a patient’s right to be informed of the benefits and risks of any type of health care treatment—not just chiropractic treatment,” said ACA Vice President Dr. Keith Overland, who practices in Norwalk, Conn. “Legislation or regulations governing informed consent should apply to all health care providers in equal measure.”
In respect to informed consent, it is ACA’s position that there is no substitute for a confidential, in-person discussion between a doctor and a patient. Each patient has his/her own individual questions and circumstances that deserve individual attention. SOURCE American Chiropractic Association
Chiromission Goes To the Dominican Republic
Dr. Larry Markson, Dr. Brett Axelrod and Dr. Rick Markson of The Markson Connection, plus chiropractic luminary Dr. Guy Riekeman are leading a group of 50 chiropractors and chiropractic students to the Dominican Republic in early March. There they will participate in a humanitarian event regularly run by ChiroMission. “My excitement,” says Dr. Markson, “comes from bringing our very special tribe of DC’s to a third world country where their internal feelings of generosity, appreciation and gratitude will be awakened. The result of this bonding will help our tribe members build and live ‘Lives of Significance’ which is what we are all about.” For more information go to www.marksonconnection.com.
Quinn Approves Physician Delegation Legislation!
Congratulations! Again!! Governor Quinn approved pro-chiropractic, Illinois Chiropractic Society initiated legislation, Senate Bill 318 (Silverstein/Saviano)! The new public act provides and clarifies the right of all physicians licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 (M.D.’s, D.O.’s and D.C.’s) to delegate tasks or duties to licensed or unlicensed personnel when the tasks or duties fall within the scope of practice, as well as education, training, or experience of the delegating physician, and within the context of a physician-patient relationship. In addition, a licensed health care professional must be on site to provide assistance.
Public Act 96-0618 became effective January 1, 2010. For more information, go to http://ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=096-0618&GA=96.
Governor Corzine Signs Bill Enacting New Scope of Practice in New Jersey for Chiropractic Care: Legislation Passed by Senate and Assembly Ushers in First Change in New Jersey Chiropractic Scope of Practice Since 1953
In mid-January, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed legislation into law which ushered in a new scope of practice for chiropractic care in the state of New Jersey for the first time since 1953.
The Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC), which represents approximately 1600 chiropractors statewide and has worked closely with legislators to shape this new scope of practice, is extremely grateful and pleased with the signing of the legislation into law by Governor Corzine.
The ANJC worked closely in a bipartisan manner with state legislators over the past five years to enact passage of this long overdue scope of practice change, which enhances the way chiropractors treat and manage patients. There are over 3000 chiropractors actively practicing in New Jersey who will benefit by this legislation.
Some of the components legislated by this new scope of practice:
Term chiropractic subluxation, for the first time, is nowwritten into statute.
Permits chiropractors to provide dietary/nutritional counseling, and the ability to dispense nutritional supplements;
Permits chiropractors to diagnose, analyze and treat all joints and soft tissues of the body independent of spinal subluxation;
Splinting and bracing, for the first time, will be put into law so that collars, braces and sports taping are forever adjuncts to chiropractic care;
Requires chiropractors to maintain malpractice liability insurance;
Requires chiropractors every two years to complete 30 credits for continuing education;
Permits chiropractors to administer physical modalities and therapeutic, rehabilitative and strengthening exercises.
Chiropractors can sign or certify temporary or permanent impairments and other certifications consistent with a chiropractic practice, such as pre-employment screenings.
Makes it unlawful for any person, other than a NJ licensed chiropractor, to render a utilization management decision that limits, restricts or curtails a course of chiropractic care.
Consistent with chiropractic practice, provides a full complement of diagnostic and analytical tests similar to other physicians.
For more information, contact ANJC executive director by emailing [email protected] or calling headquarters at 1-908-722-5678.
Chiropractic Care Included in 2010 Olympic Vancouver Winter Games at On-Site Polyclinic – A First for Olympic Athletes
For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada, will include chiropractic care inside the Olympic Village Polyclinic, a multi-disciplinary facility that offers comprehensive health care and medical services. While doctors of chiropractic (DC’s) have historically been included on the Olympic medical staff, the upcoming events mark the first time that DC’s from the host country will be treating athletes and officials from around the world directly inside the Polyclinic.
“This is an historic event, not only for the chiropractic profession, but also the athletes who will now have access to the care that will help them prepare their bodies for competition,” states Michael Reed, D.C., M.S., D.A.C.B.S.P., and Team USA Medical Director (USOC). “These athletes train hard and endure significant physical demands. Sports-focused DC’s, along with other members of the sports medicine team, are especially skilled to assist them in reaching peak performance.”
During the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, NY, George Goodheart, D.C., became the first official chiropractor appointed to the U.S. team. With each subsequent Olympic Games and Pan American Games, the U.S. teams—along with a growing number of other national teams—have included at least one doctor of chiropractic on their medical staff, culminating with the 2010 Winter Games incorporation of chiropractic care inside the Polyclinic. To learn more about the Foundation, visit www.foundation4cp.com or call 1-866-901-f4cp.
Patients in Medicare Pilot Project Give Chiropractors High Marks
According to results from a congressionally mandated pilot project testing the feasibility of expanding chiropractic services in Medicare, patients have a high rate of satisfaction with the care they receive from chiropractors—87 percent gave their DC a level of 8 or higher.
The final report to Congress also includes information on the costs of expanding chiropractic. The report indicates that, in all but one of the demonstration sites, patients’ health care costs were not significantly changed by expanding coverage of chiropractic services. To view the report online, visit the ACA Web site at www.acatoday.org/pdf/demo_report.pdf.
Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research Begins Study with University of Iowa for Conservative Treatment of Patients with Temporomandibular Disorder(TMD)
Researchers at the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research (PCCR), on the Palmer College of Chiropractic campus in Davenport, Iowa, are working in collaboration with the University of Iowa’s College of Dentistry and Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences in Iowa City, to explore the feasibility of using chiropractic care to treat people with chronic pain in their face and jaw, classified as temporomandibular disorder (TMD).
The TMD study is one of three projects that are part of a four-year, $2.8 million grant awarded to the PCCR in 2008 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine to establish a multidisciplinary Developmental Center for Clinical and Translational Science in Chiropractic. The TMD study is directed by project co-leaders James DeVocht, D.C., Ph.D., from Palmer, and Clark Stanford, D.D.S., Ph.D., from the University of Iowa.
“More than 10 million Americans suffer from head and neck pain related to TMD, with a lifetime prevalence of 45 percent and a direct care cost of $2 billion,” said Dr. DeVocht. “This makes it one of the most common forms of chronic debilitating pain in the United States. Although many medical and dental treatments for TMD are available, few, if any, have shown any sustained efficacy.”http://www.palmer.edu/news2.aspx?id=8574
Professional Football Chiropractic Society Announces Its Role with Every Team in the National Football League
The Professional Football Chiropractic Society (PFCS, www.profootballchiros.com) takes pride in announcing that all 32 teams in the National Football League offer their players and personnel chiropractic physician services as part of the triage in managing and preventing injuries. According to the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (www.f4cp.org), this distinction is a benchmark for the profession and documents the important role that chiropractic care plays in optimizing athletic performance.
“The robust need for chiropractic care in the NFL has been deeply driven by the players’ desire for peak physical conditioning and not simply for injuries,” states Spencer H. Baron, D.C., DACBSP, immediate past President of the PFCS and Miami Dolphins team chiropractor for the past 14 years. “From the earliest years of full contact football, their bodies are subject to structural stress that doctors of chiropractic (DCs) are specially trained to care for. Many DCs who provide their services to professional athletes travel with their respective teams throughout the season, treating players up until game time, during the game and sometimes immediately following.”
Rob Lizana D.C., who treats many of the players of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints, even moved with the team when they relocated to San Antonio, TX following Hurricane Katrina. He treated players in Miami leading up to the Super Bowl game, an advantage that many players were especially thankful for.
According to Saints wide receiver Marques Colston, who had seven catches for 83 yards in Super Bowl XLIV, “I always see Dr. Rob for chiropractic care on game day to get my body balanced, flexible and ready for action. I see him several times a week for rehab and to recover faster from the last game.”
About PFCS
Professional Football Chiropractic (PFC) is an organization of chiropractors who provide the highest quality chiropractic health care to the elite athletes of Professional Football. Our mission is to communicate and educate. To initiate and continue a better understanding of chiropractic for athletes, coaches, administrative and healthcare staff of our respective teams. It is our goal to enhance the health and performance of each and every individual athlete, so they may express their optimal health potential. www.profootballchiros.com.
To learn more about the Foundation, please visit us on the web at www.foundation4cp.com or call 866-901-f4cp.