Cooperation: How Can We Expect to Work with Other Health Care Professions When We Can't Even Work with Each Other?

In the last few years, chiropractic has finally been getting the respect it has long deserved. Studies are showing that spinal adjustments are beneficial, and the public is beginning to respond.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for chiropracTORs, particularly in the United States. There is still an incredible desire to wage war and air dirty laundry for all to see.

Politicians, the media and the public have been left with a very confused sense of what chiropracTIC is about because chiropracTORs can't help but undermine each other. Instead of hearing from one profession, they hear constant contradictions between dueling chiropractic groups, some of whom would rather destroy the entire profession than compromise on any issue.

All of us have heard stories about one group of DCs working with a medical association, physical therapy association or some other political group in order to kill legislation offered by another group of DCs. Instead of building a consensus before we introduce legislation, we prefer to embarrass ourselves before political leaders and the media - so much so, in fact, that many politicians have taken the position of "Come back when you can agree on what you want!"

But chiropracTIC marches on.

Individual DCs are creating relationships with other individual health care practitioners. Some state chiropractic associations, especially those with only one (dominant) state association, are succeeding in gaining support for their legislative agenda.

While you may expect me to lay the blame at the doorsteps of our national chiropractic associations, you may be disappointed. Our problem is attitude.

There are really only a few DCs in a couple of organizations at either end of the spectrum that are at war. At the extreme left, you have the National Association of Chiropractic Medicine (NACM) giving extremely damaging quotes to salivating reporters. To my knowledge, they have never been formally denounced by the major chiropractic associations and organizations.

On the other end, you have the ultra-straights or "hate-straights" as I have heard them referred to. They wage war on anyone who doesn't hold the same philosophical beliefs they do.

While neither of these groups have more than 1,000 members, they are allowed to affect this profession as much as (or more than) the ICA or the ACA. Every time they want to start another war, they rally unsuspecting sympathizers. Like little boys crying "wolf," they try to create controversy and dissent where none needs to exist. They draw swords over issues that could easily be settled with open discussion and debate. They attack people, not issues.

And like jumpy solders before a battle, we react to every little firecracker they throw in our midst. We are so used to fighting everyone else and each other that we still shoot first and ask questions later.

For a moment, put yourself in the position of another health care provider (acupuncturist, naturopath, MD). How would you ever hope to work with the chiropractic profession as a whole? How long would you try before you got so frustrated you stopped trying?

While there are many things we must do differently, here are a few to begin with:

1. Seek Consensus Wherever Possible. Every piece of legislation, advertising campaign and other important work must strive to be as inclusive as possible in order to make it profession-wide.

    

2. Learn to Compromise. Without compromise, we can't move forward. We must give up some of what we want in order to gain what we need. The more we are willing to compromise, the more progress we can make.

    

3. Debate Issues Instead of Attacking People. Learn from the great statespeople of chiropractic. Treat every person with respect and regard. Disagree vehemently, but do it with decorum and class. Let your argument be judged by what you say, not who you attack.

    

4. Ignore and Denounce War Mongers. There are, unfortunately, those in the chiropractic profession who are unable or unwilling to compromise. They only wish to wage war at any cost. While they should be invited to join the debate, their words (and deeds) of poison should not be allowed to infect the profession with hate. When they attack people rather than debate issues, their words should be ignored. If they consistently refuse to contribute and prefer to destroy, they should be denounced.

While the above steps seem obvious and relatively easy, it will require intentional actions on your part. If you begin to encourage those who seek a consensus, participate in constructive debate, and compromise when needed, you can motivate change in the chiropractic profession. You will likewise need to appeal to those who attack and divide. Hopefully, they will hear your words and respect the need for cooperation.

ChiropracTIC has already been shown to be an important contribution to health. ChiropracTORS have much to offer. But like a group of unruly children, we can and have been easily ignored.