Introducing Cin-bad

At the annual meeting of the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB), a new system was unveiled that will provided for the sharing of information and interactive access to all state licensing boards within the United States and Canada. The system is Cin-bad, an acronym for Chiropractic Information Network-Board Action Databank.

This system will eventually provide for the networking of all state chiropractic licensing boards into an efficient organized system of information exchange. The information part of the system (CIN) will allow an interactive form of communication between all licensing boards through the FCLB's computer system at their home office in Greeley, Colorado. This will facilitate the gathering of information as well as its disbursement (please see Main Menu for Cin-bad at end of this article).

The Board Action Database (BAD) part of the system will allow each state board as well as insurance carriers to access information regarding licensing board actions against a chiropractor. The sharing and dissemination of this information will make it much more difficult for DCs who have had their license suspended or revoked from simply moving to another state and setting up a similar practice (please see Reports Menu and sample Practitioner File at end of this article).

The concept of the Board Action Database was originally developed in 1990 using a similar database developed by the American Medical Association as a model. The development was funded by grants from the American Chiropractic Association and the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

Kay Gunter, executive director of the Missouri Licensing Board, was given an award as the "Mother of the Database" at the FCLB conference. The information she's collected for Cin-bad has been acquired mostly via phone and mail.

"It was needed," she said, referring to Cin-bad. "When I was appointed to the Disciplinary Database and Analysis Committee, we just did it."

Although the system is still young, its potential is very impressive. Already a number of licensing boards from Canadian provinces are seeking to be a part of the network.

Computer consultant and programmer Peter Sawtell is the system's developer: "Before I started working on this project, I never gave much thought to the licensing of professionals in the health care field. I assumed that, if someone did something wrong, their license was revoked, and they had to do some other sort of work . Well, I've found out that some of those people whose licenses are revoked just pack their bags, go somewhere else and try to do the same sort of work. It is an immensely difficult situation for the licensing boards.

"What excited me about Cin-bad, is that we are able to do something very specific and very important for the licensing boards. We have been able to use some very common technology in an innovative way, so that the state and provincial licensing staffs can get their hands on a wealth of information -- and they can do it quickly, easily, and inexpensively.

"We hope that Cin-bad will close some of the gaps in the licensing system, gaps that have allowed that small percentage of dangerous and irresponsible practitioners to move from state to state. By providing a readily accessible clearing-house for reports on disciplinary actions, the communication between licensing boards can be improved. With that sort of connected information, the licensing board staffs can use their skills, their investigative time, and their budgets more effectively."

Each of the state licensing boards will receive user software and a modem, thanks to the ACA's generous donation of $10,000 to facilitate the implementation of this system.

John Tierney, DC, chairman of the Databank and Analysis Committee which oversaw the project, said the development of Cin-bad is "a step forward in the ability of state licensing boards to better monitor candidates for licensure in their state," and stressed the importance of the participation of every state in sending information on a monthly basis.

"The FCLB along with the 50 state licensing boards will have a program like no other available to any other profession," asserted Dr. Tierney. "I urge all state boards to participate and together we will be able to better scrutinize doctors who are not practicing in an ethical and professional manner."

Newly elected FCLB President Carroll H. Winkler, DC, encouraged every U.S. and Canadian licensing jurisdiction to report all their final disciplinary actions to Cin-bad. "The system will only work with complete cooperation. It is only as good as the information contained in it," he said.

Dr. Winkler added: "The basic underlying purpose of the whole system is the protection of the public. This is also our primary reason for existence as licensing boards. Cin-bad carries chiropractic into the 21st century by combining readily available technology with an innovative approach to information sharing."

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