PHOENIX, Arizona -- While the upstart Los Angeles Lakers were trying to thwart the Phoenix Suns and Charles Barkley in the first round of the NBA playoffs, another prominent group was in town. Doctors from as far away as Hong Kong and Australia had come to this desert community in the Valley of the Sun for the International Chiropractors Association's 67th annual convention April 6-9.
The ICA bestowed its highest honor during the convention -- Chiropractor of the Year -- to Dr. John Hofmann, ICA representative to the Council of Chiropractic Education (CCE).Several other ICA members also received deserved accolades:
Dr. Hofmann, a Logan College graduate who practices in Allen Park, Michigan, was the 44th recipient of the ICA's Chiropractor of the Year award, first presented in 1950.
A powerful advocate for chiropractic during the past year, Dr. Hofmann testified as the ICA's expert witness at Congressional subcommittee hearings on HR 608, the bill to commission chiropractors in the military. His was a compelling voice for chiropractic, as Dr. Hofmann served in Vietnam with the Marine Corp 1969-1971 and was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V for valor.
His cogent testimony before the Senate and the House was certainly a contributing factor in the passage of the bill by the 102nd Congress.
In his statements to Congress, Dr. Hofmann pointed to the misguided approach of the military in not taking advantage of what chiropractic has to offer and the potential for "full cooperation between health professions, as a team effort, to provide optimal services to the patient at the highest level of quality."
Serving on CCE's board of directors and currently secretary to the Commission on Accreditation (COA), he was recognized in 1991 by the ICA for Distinguished Service as their representative to the CCE, and was reappointed that same year to serve as ICA representative for another three-year term.
Dr. Hofmann is also co-chairperson of both the legislative and political action committee of the Michigan Chiropractic Council (MCC). The MCC has twice named him Chiropractor of the Year, and his awards for distinguished service are numerous.
A successful practitioner and a staff member of New Center Hospital in Detroit, Dr. Hofmann is author and co-author of several well-known office management procedures, practice manuals, and videos. He is a dynamic and motivating speaker and has made several TV appearances on national and local networks on behalf of chiropractic.
Convention Highlights
The convention opened with the awarding of a pair of 1994 Superbowl tickets donated by King Koil Sleep Products. Special friend of chiropractic Mark May, who has played in three Superbowls and is now with the Phoenix Cardinals, was the appropriate choice to draw the name of the winner.
The educational portion of the convention included:
"It's exciting when an event such as this comes together so successfully, said ICA President Dr. Jim Gregg. "Though we had a larger than usual turnout, we wish more could have shared the camaraderie we experienced here."
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?
