A number of bills are currently before the New York State Legislature that would benefit both the chiropractic profession and the public: two would allow DCs to receive fair reimbursement by insurance companies for services they provide; one would allow DCs to call themselves "chiropractic physicians"; another bill would require that chiropractic services be included in all health maintenance organizations (HMOs) in New York State; and the final bill would ensure that the procedure of spinal manipulation will be performed only by licensed doctors adequately trained in such techniques.
"This comprehensive package of legislation is designed to reverse years of discrimination against our profession in New York," said Dr. A. Alessandro Pireno, president of the Chiropractic Federated Societies of New York (CFSNY). Legislators introducing the bills include Assemblymen Ron Tocci (D-New Rochelle) and Joe Morelle (D-Rochester), and state Senators Nick Spano (R-Yonkers), George Pataki (R-Westchester), and Joe Holland (R-Spring Valley). The bills are currently before their respective committees for consideration (Labor, Insurance, Higher Education, and Health).
Three Pennsylvania chiropractic organizations have joined forces to sponsor the first PA Chiropractic Unity Convention in Harrisburg on September 10-12. The convention is being coordinated by members of the Chiropractic Fellowship of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Academy of Chiropractic Physicians, and the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Federation.
Featured speakers will include instructor Daniel Murphy, DC, DABCO, presenting his "Soft Tissue Injury and Repair" program; lecturer Malik Slosberg, DC, who will instruct DCs about "Validating Chiropractic: Documenting the Scientific Basis of Clinical Practice"; and the outspoken Arno Burnier, DC, who will offer his views on "Chiropractic Philosophy, Science and Art."
Other scheduled events include a trade show and exhibition, and topical programs addressing practice management, risk management, and motivating chiropractic staff. A discussion of the Mercy Guidelines document by members of the PA Chiropractic Guidelines Committee will also take place.
For more information contact Kent Linderman at (717) 233-0627.
Noted Attorney David Chapman-Smith (Mercy Center Conference counsel, editor of The Chiropractic Report, secretary general of the World Federation of Chiropractic), accompanied by FCER Director of Research Anthony Rosner, PhD, visited the NYCC campus.
Chapman-Smith spoke in two-hour sessions to several large student groups. Mr. Chapman Smith's theme was the New Zealand Commission of Inquiry into the Practice of Chiropractic, a conservative commission handpicked by the medical profession in that country to conduct a full judicial inquiry into the education, science, philosophy and practice of chiropractic. The judicial procedure and the evidence produced, according to Mr. Chapman-Smith, "allowed the truth to unfold."
He emphasized the importance of DCs understanding the gap that exists between chiropractic assumptions of where the profession is, and the public's perception of chiropractic. He said, "It is important for chiropractors to see what they do in two different lights, and have a profession adept in responding to the public need."
NYCC held its second-ever commencement on the college's new Seneca Falls campus. Thirty-eight students received their DC degrees. Philip T. Santiago, DC, CCSP, director of chiropractic sports medicine in NYCC's postgraduate division, gave the commencement address. Dr. Santiago encouraged the graduates not to forsake the chiropractic philosophy as they seen inclusion within the health care team. Calling on his Olympic treating experience, Dr. Santiago spoke of the importance of cooperative interdisciplinary exchanges among health disciplines.
Awards of academic excellence were given to Valedictorian William Ward, a summa cum laude graduate who received the chiropractic technique award. Salutatorian Christopher Marchese graduated magna cum laude. Also graduating magna cum laude were: Gustave Ferreri and Leonard Pisciotti; cum laude graduates included James Bottari, Thomas DiFusco, Suzanne Fink, and Thomas McCloughan. The Frank E. Dean Memorial Award was presented to Robert McCarthy, and Jeffrey Scott received the Lorraine Welch Memorial Award. The Earnest G. Napolitano Memorial Award was presented to Scott Rowlands and William Ward. Scott Tuminelli received the B.J. Palmer Memorial Award. Distinguished Service Awards went to: Joseph Alaimo, James Bottari, Athena Farrell, Brian Meacham, Cathleen Murphy, Scott Rowlands, Nancy Tarlow, and William Ward. Leonard Ancone received the Syracuse Award, and the Levittown Clinic Award was presented to Rosemarie Bou. Dr. Serge Nerli, president of the NYCC Alumni Association, presented the Alumni Award to Ellen Aronoff and Rosemarie Bou for their definitive leadership.
Many relevant diagnostic signs are not performed deliberately by the examiner or by the patient at the examiner’s direction. They are observed as the patient reacts to their condition. Fortin’s finger sign, Minor’s sign, and Vanzetti’s sign are three examples of this principle.
Spearheaded by burgeoning scientific and clinical research literature, psychedelics have reached a level of media coverage and popular interest that has not been seen for over half a century. By “psychedelics,” we are referring to the unique class of substances that includes psilocybin (the active compound found in so-called “magic mushrooms”), LSD, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ayahuasca, 5-MeO-DMT, and mescaline – each of which occurs in the natural world (except for LSD, which is a semi-synthetic compound).
While working at the Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque, N.M., one of the primary care physicians stated that imaging every patient prior to receiving chiropractic was not medically necessary. It was at that point I reconsidered the need for the imaging of every patient to avoid malpractice.
