Dr. John Belka's five day mission to Venezuela was his fourth international mission. His clinic was set up in a Catholic Church.
John Belka, DC, a practitioner from Telluride, Colorado, visited Culata, Venezuela high in the northern Andes, 40 miles outside the city of Merida, to provide and maintain a free clinic. This particular mission was the fourth one that Dr. Belka has participated in. With the assistance of a local Catholic Church, the free clinic treated over 1,000 patients during the course of the five day mission. The health care practitioners encountered many types of disorders, including an array of genetic disorders probably due to the isolation of the village.
The missions began in the spring of 1995 with the first trip to Acuna, Mexico, and continue biannually. The practitioners work under the umbrella of the Catholic Church. They are presented to the parishioners during the Sunday mass, and begin their outreach clinic treatment the next morning. Other missions have included trips to Yelapa, Mexico, and San Salvador, in El Salvador. The next mission will be to Brasov, Romania this May, and a trip to an area near Angel Falls in Venezuela in October.
For more information concerning the chiropractic missions contact:
John Belka, DC
P.O. Box 2923
Telluride, CO 81435
The Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER) has issued a request for application (RFA) to study the chiropractic subluxation. Some 70 copies of the RFA have already been sent to centers of research excellence worldwide. FCER has committed up to $250,000 for a study from one to three years.
According to the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, the chiropractic subluxation is defined as "a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ systems function and general health."
Although there is considerable anecdotal evidence consistent with chiropractic concepts of the subluxation complex, there has been no definitive research in human beings. Causality has not been demonstrated. Studies in animals, however, have cast some light on the mechanism of the subluxation complex.
For more information concerning the research goals and scope of the study, please call or write and request a copy of the RFA. Questions of a technical nature may be addressed to:
Anthony L. Rosner, PhD
1701 Clarendon Blvd
Arlington, VA 22209
Tel: (703) 276-7445 ext. 23
Fax: (703) 276-8178
Other questions may be addressed to Stephen R. Seater, MA, CAE at the same address, or he can be reached at (703) 276-7445 ext. 10.
The American Chiropractic Association and Data Trace Publishing recently announced that Dr. Meeker, director of research at the Palmer colleges, has been named the new Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Neuromusculoskeletal System (JNMS). The first issue of 1997 was edited under Dr. Meeker's direction.
Dr. Meeker succeeds Rand S. Swenson, DC, PhD, MD, who served as the Editor-in-Chief of JNMS for four years. Dr. Swenson will assume the position of Special Features Editor. JNMS is a quarterly journal that publishes original, peer-reviewed articles on all aspects of the neuromusculoskeletal system with an emphasis on nonoperative care and management.
NEWPORT BEACH, California -- Dr. William Meeker, DC, MPH, keeping busy as usual, recently presented "Chiropractic Principles and Practice" at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
Dr. Meeker also participated in a debate on the best treatment for acute low back pain. He supported the use of spinal manipulation by referencing studies on the effectiveness of chiropractic in caring for low back pain. H. Louis Harkey III, MD, took the opposing position.
Dr. Meeker was told that neurosurgeons never had a chiropractor address this meeting before. "Many of their patients see chiropractors, and they wanted to learn more about how chiropractic may help patients," Dr. Meeker said. "This may be the first step toward 'a fruitful dialogue' between chiropractors and neurosurgeons," he added.
The director and assistant director of Northwestern College of Chiropractic's department of postgraduate and continuing education were recently elected to important leadership positions in the Minnesota Association for Continuing Adult Education (MACAE). The statewide organization advocates for the needs of adult learners, and provides support for adult educators, facilitators and trainers.
The Washington State Chiropractic Association (WSCA) recently elected its 1997 board of directors:
Dr. Kenneth C. Thomas, DC, has been named the center director for chiropractic sciences at Parker College of Chiropractic for the second time. Dr. Thomas held the same position from 1988-1990, before leaving to expand his chiropractic clinics.
During his student days at Parker (1986 graduate), Dr. Thomas was class president and recognized in Outstanding Young Men of America.
In addition to his duties as director, Dr. Thomas has also been a postgraduate instructor at Parker since 1987. He is known throughout chiropractic as an expert in physiotherapy and sports medicine as it applies to orthopedics and neurology.
On March 25, 1997, California Commissioner of Corporations Keith Paul Bishop announced enforcement actions against 12 health plans for failure to comply with the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act. The 1996 law requires health plans to notify enrollees of their right to submit unresolved complaints to the Department of Corrections, and to provide the department's 800 number.
A total of $155,000 in fines were issued to the health maintenance organizations. One of the most heavily fined groups was the American Chiropractic Network Health Plan, which received a penalty of $40,000. Another chiropractic health plan, Chiroserve Inc., received a $2,500 fine. In all, 55 health plans have been fined a total of $670,000 for failure to comply.
"This action shows our continuing commitment to requiring that health plans do their part in notifying health care consumers about their rights," said Bishop. "We are continuously monitoring plan compliance and will take action when we see violations of the law."
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
