News in Brief

ACA Elects New Officers, Charts Course for Future

The American Chiropractic Association held its 49th annual House of Delegates meeting in historic fashion on Sept. 29, convening electronically for the first time in a format that emphasizes the association's commitment to progress and innovation. The meeting featured the election of new association officers and the approval of several new policies / resolutions that will help guide the association's activities over the course of the next year and beyond.

First, in election news, delegates re-elected Keith Overland, DC, as association president, with Michael Simone, DC, and Anthony Hamm, DC, also retaining their executive committee positions as chairman of the board (and District 6 governor) and vice president, respectively. Rick McMichael, DC, continues as immediate past president.

In governor elections, James Rehberger, DC, was elected District 2 governor and Richard Bruns, DC, was elected District 4 governor, with Joseph Morelli, DC, re-elected to the District 7 position. Rounding out the district leadership positions are Kelli Pearson, DC, governor of District 1; Robert Tennant, DC, governor of District 3; and John McGinnis, DC, governor of District 5, all of whom continue service (not up for re-election in 2012).

At this year's meeting, the HOD also approved several policies, including a resolution "promoting strict standards of conduct by encouraging members to adhere to not only ACA's Code of Ethics, but [also] all relevant federal and state statutes providing anti-fraud standards." Another resolution provides "guidelines on participating in multidisciplinary practices to help chiropractic physicians evaluate whether such opportunities emphasize financial gain over clinical appropriateness."

Allstate Insurance Fraud Case Finally Yields Judgment

Longtime readers of DC may recall an article published 11 years ago ("Are You a Victim of a Multidisciplinary Scheme?" by Gerald Herrmann, Esq.; Sept. 24, 2001 issue) that discussed a lawsuit filed by Allstate New Jersey Insurance Company, et al., against several defendants including Drs. Daniel H. Dahan, a doctor of chiropractic, and Robert Borsody, Esq. As recently explained by Allstate New Jersey, which was awarded $3.96 million on Sept. 11, 2012, the insurer "filed suit in October 1999 targeting an Atlantic County chiropractor Dr. J. Scott Neuner, D.C.; Dahan; and Borsody for creating a dummy medical corporation to misrepresent a chiropractic facility as a physician-owned medical center. In reality, the medical doctor associated with the practice was an employee – not an owner. The scheme was connected to a seminar called 'Practice Perfect' run by Dahan, a California chiropractor. Dahan located a medical doctor for the practice and also supplied the instructions and paperwork to set up the bogus corporation."

"It is especially disturbing when members of the medical and legal fields violate their oaths and abuse the public's trust," said Rich Crist, president of Allstate New Jersey, in an Oct. 3, 2012 press release announcing the damage award. "We hope this judgment sends a strong message to everyone that fraud is simply intolerable."

Life West Names Alumnus, Student of the Year

Dr. Joseph E. Awender II and Stephanie Williams are the alumnus and student of the year, respectively, at Life Chiropractic College West. Dr. Awender II, a 1990 graduate of the college, serves on the Life West Board of Regents; Ms. Williams is a first-quarter senior who hails from San Diego, Calif.

D'Youville College Attracting More Veterans as Students

D'Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y., which established a chiropractic degree program in 2004 and in so doing, became only the second accredited multidisciplinary educational institution to offer the DC degree (the University of Bridgeport was the first), has seen a distinct upsurge in the number of chiropractic students who are also veterans. According to Sister Denise A. Roche, college president, "Over the past four years, D'Youville College has experienced a remarkable growth in the student-veteran population. It has grown from 35 students in 2009 to more than 380 for this semester, a 10-fold growth in this population."

As a result of this increased veteran presence, D'Youville was recently named to Victory Media's "Military Friendly Schools" list, which "honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America's military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus." To learn more, visit www.victorymediainc.com.

New Director of Academic Services at Logan College

Laurinda Smith is the new director of academic services at Logan College of Chiropractic / University Programs. Ms. Smith comes to Logan from Saint Louis University, where she managed data services for the past 11 years.

Honorary ICC Fellowship for Standard Process President

Charles DuBois, president of nutritional supplement manufacturer Standard Process, is now an honorary fellow of the International College of Chiropractors. Dr. Frank Nicchi, a member of the ICC faculty and president of New York Chiropractic College, presented DuBois with the honorary fellowship at the Florida Chiropractic Association's national convention.