Virginia Commonwealth Rep. John Welch, DC (R-House District 21), reports that chiropractic is now part of the Sentara Medical Group, the second largest managed care organization in Virginia. Sentara is based in Norfolk, Virginia.
Dr. Welch said getting results was a hard-fought battle: "The process was extremely time-consuming and personally challenging, as I was venturing into uncharted waters." He approached the medical group in 1995 about integrating chiropractic, but as he puts it, Sentara "was not ready for such a large leap of faith."
In 2001, Sentara was named the top integrated health network in the United States by the SMG Marketing Group, a Chicago-based health care information company. "After hearing of the 'top integrated' award, I decided to revisit Sentara with the possibility."
Dr. Welch noted that it took "eight months of educating, negotiating and reassuring" Sentara to get chiropractic in the door. Sentara now lists approximately 136 DCs on its provider list.
Dr. Preston Fitzgerald Speaks at International Health Care Conference Preston Fitzgerald,DC, was selected by the International Association of Special Investigative Units to speak at its annual September conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He presented two topics: "Chiropractic College for Health Care Investigators," and "Understanding Current Examination Procedures Used by Health Care Providers."
Dr. Fitzgerald is president and founder of the National Board of Forensic Chiropractors. He is also an adviser to the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) editorial review board, which seeks to establish scientific standards for health care practices for the American College of Environmental & Occupational Medicine.
