2502 NYCC TRANS FINAL2 - New York Chiropractic College

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Chiropractic in the Military: Is it “The Right Stuff?” The Experiment In 1995 the Department of Defense (DoD) began an experiment called the Chiropractic Health Care Demonstration Program (CHCDP). The experiment was designed to test the feasibility of chiropractic care in the military. Originally slated to cover 10 facilities over a three-year period, the trial was such a success that the program was given three additional facilities and two more years. The CHCDP gauged the effect of providing chiropractic care against traditional medical care at three sites where chiropractic was absent. The results opened some eyes at the DoD. Chiropractic care produced higher levels of patient satisfaction than traditional medicine: 95.5% of chiropractic patients agreed that they had good results from treatment, compared to 75.5% of the traditional medicine patients. The chiropractic group experienced better results than those who received traditional medical treatment: 73.4% of chiropractic patients experienced no activity restrictions after treatment, compared to 52.9% in the traditional medicine pool. The chiropractic patients required fewer hospital stays; and patients who received chiropractic care had reductions in lost duty time which in turn correlated to an increase in military combat readiness. The experiment provided data showing that the DoD would enjoy savings of over $25.8 million per year, were chiropractic care to be furnished in its hospital facilities. The Result Members of Congress, many of whom had access to Bethesda’s CHCDP services, were impressed by all the numbers. They voted to pass the Fiscal Year 2001 Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4205), and the bill was signed into law (P.L. 106-398) by President Clinton before he left office. The law requires that chiropractic care be made available to all active-duty personnel, both within the United States and overseas. The law mandates access to chiropractic services “…which includes, at a minimum, care for neuromusculoskeletal conditions typical among military personnel on active duty.” A fiveyear period, beginning November 2000, was allotted to bring chiropractic care into military health-care facilities. Currently all chiropractors involved are employed by the military as contractors; however, the commissioning of D.C.s as military officers may follow. by Alana Starr, 3 rd Trimester of age and older. Female patients were not treated if they were pregnant or if they had a chance of being pregnant. Since chiropractic care will be provided on the military bases through the hospital facilities, it is likely that providers of traditional medical care with no previous exposure to the therapy will gain some familiarity. D.C.s in the CHCDP ran into not only initial unfamiliarity, but also reluctance by some physicians to refer patients. The problems dissipated, however, when the D.C.s had an opportunity to fully explain both what chiropractic is, and what it is not. Other M.D.s began the relationship by sending chiropractors their toughest and most chronic patients. The D.C.s, who at first were overwhelmed by referrals, ended up impressing the M.D.s by achieving significant improvements in their patients. Clearly, D.C.s were called upon to prove themselves. As opinions held by other healthcare providers turned increasingly favorable, things began to run much more smoothly. Since some of the facilities were teaching hospitals, many medical interns left school with positive feelings about chiropractic. The chiropractors involved in the project felt that patient compliance was high. They attributed this in part to the military personnel’s penchant for following orders. Chiropractors also liked the fact that, since their salaries were paid by the DoD, they didn’t have to worry about all the insurance paperwork normally suffered in private practice. The Paradigm What kind of person does it take to practice chiropractic in the military? Certainly, not everyone ideally suited for a military-style practice. Some chiropractors would object to the military’s rather restricted view of chiropractic’s offerings. The current paradigm casts chiropractic therapy as a treatment strictly intended for neuromusculoskeletal disorders. Military D.C.s must be able to work cooperatively and assuredly with other health-care providers, some of whom may not immediately embrace chiropractic. SOAP notes and other patient documentation must be adapted to fit with documentation generated by other providers within the facility. The Environment The chiropractic care that was provided through the CHCDP was limited to neuromusculoskeletal complaints of patients 18 years (Continued on next page) 10
NYCC Intern Gerald Stevens Returns From Bethesda Naval Hospital Gerald Stevens, D.C., was NYCC’s first intern to participate in Bethesda Naval Hospital’s inaugural chiropractic internship program. He had heard about the internship opportunity through Dr. Matthew Coté, director of the Depew Health Center. Drs. Coté and Van Dusen were instrumental in the establishment of the Bethesda internship experience (see Transitions Summer/Fall 2001 issue). According to Dr. Stevens, every intern who goes through the new program helps shape it. He anticipated he would rotate through various departments, and that he did. His rotations included Radiology, Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Neuro-radiology Dermatology, TMJ, Occupational Therapy and Physical Medicine/Rehab – performing under the tutelage of the hospital’s two staff chiropractors, William Morgan, D.C., and Terence Kearney, D.C. Stevens witnessed surgeries, laminectomies, knee and hip replacements, and (as he describes it) a fascinating case of reflex sympathetic dystrophy. He felt his experience not only left him better informed, but also provided him with an appreciation for many of the ailments patients suffer. Accordingly, he calms patients’ anxieties by explaining procedures to them. He credits an excellent NYCC education for having instilled confidence in him to deal with medical professionals. For example, he felt NYCC’s radiology Bethesda Naval Hospital coursework prepared him for interaction with fellow medical interns who worked in the hospital radiology department. He was able to diagnose a chisel fracture of the radius and osteochonritis dessicans of the ankle, much to the delight of the other radiology interns. Just prior to graduation, Gerald returned from his hospital tour encouraging colleagues to explore various hospitals’ departments. He summarized, “The more you can learn, the better you can help your patients in the future.” Chiropractic in the Military: Is it “The Right Stuff?” (Continued from previous page) The Candidate Contracts for military D.C. positions are up for bid. Candidates must provide desired care and at a reasonable price. They must be willing to relocate to cities proximate to military facilities assigned them. Their adaptability to work hand-in-hand with other healthcare providers in hierarchical environments is crucial. Candidates must be graduates of accredited chiropractic colleges, must be licensed in at least one state, and must suffer no state board restrictions or disciplinary actions. In addition, chiropractic candidates must possess clean malpractice records and demonstrate at least one full year of clinical practice. Previous military experience often reflects favorably on candidates. Now do you think you have the right stuff to be a military D.C.? More information may be found in prior issues of the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association and in articles online at www.fixback.com, www.chiroweb.com, and www.chiro.org. Also, you may call the ACA at 800-986-4636 and ask for Government Relations. House Passes Veteran’s Chiropractic Bill The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) announced that the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 2792. This legislation contains a provision that creates the first permanent chiropractic benefit, provides veterans with access to a broad scope of chiropractic services (“at minimum, neuro-musculosketal conditions”), creates an oversight advisory committee, and allows veterans to designate D.C.s as their primary care provider. Jay Witter, Vice President of Government Relations for the American Chiropractic Association, cautioned that while this is a tremendous victory for the chiropractic profession, the work is not yet over. Before H.R. 2792 becomes law, it must be reconciled with Senate-passed legislation. The reconciled provisions would then go before both the House and Senate for a final vote. It is anticipated that the chiropractic provision contained in H.R. 2792 is likely to be strongly opposed by the medical establishment, including the American Medical Association, American Physical Therapy Association, the American Osteopathic Association, and the American Association of Family Physicians. The ACA plans to continue a grassroots lobbying campaign in support of this historic chiropractic legislation. www.nycc.edu 11
Page 1 and 2: Fall 2001/Winter 2002 Special Featu
Page 3 and 4: Fall 2001/Winter 2002 New York Chir
Page 5 and 6: President’s Council 2001 Presiden
Page 7 and 8: from the PROVOST Faculty Promotions
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Page 13 and 14: CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CENTERS OF NYCC
Page 15 and 16: Interview With: Howard F. Loomis, J
Page 17 and 18: Treating Osteoporosis From an Exerc
Page 19 and 20: Dopamine, Obesity and Addiction Doe
Page 21 and 22: From Mighty Mice to Healthy Humans
Page 23 and 24: Turmeric: The Golden Root with the
Page 25 and 26: Interview With: Howard F. Loomis, J
Page 27 and 28: AN EXAMPLE OF EXCELLENCE for recomm
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Page 31 and 32: STUDENT/ALUMNI NETWORK PROGRAM In a
Page 33 and 34: news BRIEFS Drs. Cartica and Nicchi
Page 35 and 36: Unity Day 2001 by Alana Starr, 3rd
Page 37 and 38: center for POSTGRADUATE AND CONTINU
Page 39 and 40: Dr. Dennis Homack, D.C., C.C.S.P.,
Page 41 and 42: Ergonomic Nutrition by Dennis Homac
Page 43 and 44: y Daniel Kanaley, Library Director
Page 45 and 46: esearch ROUNDUP Visiting Chiropract
Page 47 and 48: COMMENCEMENT commencement August 20
Page 49 and 50: What’s News? What’s News? What
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