Four New Sponsors Come Aboard for Mercy Center Conference

The Mercy Center Conference (January 25-30), which has enjoyed tremendous support in its mission to establish guidelines for chiropractic quality assurance and standards of practice, has acquire the additional sponsorship of four noteworthy organizations: The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association; the Texas Chiropractic Association; the Southeastern Chiropractic Federation; and Leander Health Technologies Corporation. These four organizations have each donated $2,500 to become a sponsor of the conference that already includes Nutriwest; SuperFeet; World-Wide Chiropractic Placement Service; Foot Levelers; Activator Methods; OUM Group, Inc.; NCMIC; and MPI.

The primary sponsors of the Mercy Conference have been the ACA; ICA; COCSA; Canadian Chiropractic Association; Association of Chiropractic Colleges; FCER; and FCLB.

The four new sponsors where given the opportunity to briefly speak about their organization and why they're involved with supporting the conference.

The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA), a fraternal organization, was founded by Dr. Ralph Gregory and other interested chiropractors on April 16, 1966.

The mission of NUCCA is to improve the practice of chiropractic by supporting research, education, and patient care and to advance, preserve, and perpetuate chiropractic as a healing art to the public, chiropractic, and other professions.

As ever-increasing clinical observations arose, hypotheses were formulated that needed testing. Research expanded, and newer methods of subluxation analysis and correction developed. To accomplish this task, a sister research organization was formed: The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research Association (NUCCRA) was incorporated on October 6, 1971.

Both organizations, each supportive of the other, are to engage in a comprehensive research program designed to establish a scientific basis for the practice of chiropractic; to establish a body of acceptable knowledge that is testable, relevant to fact, and compatible with established and accepted scientific theories; to test existing chiropractic premises, beliefs and assertions; to establish an acceptable and scientific body of knowledge regarding the subluxation, its causes, and its physiological and pathological effects on the human organism; and to assist colleges, organizations, and practitioners.

Perhaps the policy and positions taken by both organizations is best stated by an editorial written by Dr. R. Gregory:

"Both NUCCA and NUCCRA are pursuing a definite course of action. Underlying this course of action is the policy statement, adopted by NUCCA in 1966, which states, in effect, that chiropractic is predicated upon the restoration principle; the reduction to normal of the misalignment factors of the vertebral subluxation. This includes all methods and systems that reduce to or toward normal the misalignment factors of the vertebral subluxation, and which are based upon scientific and acceptable principles of misalignment reductions, i.e., predetermined and predirected processes of correction.

"Neither organization is concerned with those differences of opinion existing within the profession over the merits of different techniques. In fact, neither organization is concerned with opinions at all, but they are concerned with data that can be observed, investigated, tested, and measured relative to any and all techniques, including upper cervical. The reason that both organizations are 'upper cervical' rests on the fact that it is, at present, the area of the spinal column that shows the most promise, the highest potential, in chiropractic research."

NUCCA presents two educational programs a year. The programs have several goals; the most important strategic goal is to encourage, develop, and attain a high level of technique competency with the expectation of building strategic capacity of NUCCA certified doctors.

In 1983, the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association initiated a certification program. The purpose of the program is to qualify doctors in the NUCCA work and establish a high set of standards of care for all NUCCA doctors to maintain. The certification program is a three-year program.

The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association is supportive of a program that will establish guidelines for standards of care within the profession. We therefore are pleased to be one of the sponsors for the Quality Assurance Conference.

Albert A. Berti, D.C.
President, NUCCA/NUCCRA
Burnaby, British Columbia
Canada

The Texas Chiropractic Association (TCA) is proud to be a sponsor of the Mercy Center Conference. "Practice protocols and parameters are best developed after extensive research by a consensus panel of chiropractic physicians who individually represent the profession's diversity. We are pleased and excited that the Mercy Center Conference has chosen to follow this type of format," said Dr. Mike Martin, TCA president. "We feel that the overall purpose of this event is closely related to TCA's own goals and aspirations."

The TCA, with more than 1,500 members, is the recognized professional association of chiropractic physicians in Texas. The purpose of TCA is to protect the rights of the recipients of chiropractic care, and to promote the general welfare and members of the chiropractic profession. TCA was founded in 1914, and has a rich heritage of over 75 years of service to its members and to the chiropractic profession in Texas, and through its volunteers, committees, and departments, is committed to increasing the accessibility and improving the quality of chiropractic care in Texas and advancing the profession into the 21st century.

Working toward this goal, the TCA board of directors established "Operation Access" with specific "A-Teams" in key areas, such as legislative and congressional affairs, business relations, insurance relations, and public relations.

The improved public perception and awareness of chiropractic as a health care alternative, while a boon to the profession, has also increased the demands for accountability and responsible professional action. Recognizing the need for the profession to be more scientifically exact, the TCA board of directors established a department of scientific affairs, which includes committees on education, research, chiropractic protocols, chiropractic technique, diagnostics, physiology, therapeutics, and several practice specialty committees.

One of the first major projects of this department was the development of a manual of chiropractic protocols and parameters for Texas. Representatives from Texas Chiropractic College and Parker College of Chiropractic joined TCA in this undertaking, and the group quickly found that they were facing no easy task. "The need for practice standards, protocols, and parameters for all the healing arts is clear cut," Dr. Martin observed, "but if the parameters are too narrow, then some essential element of patient care could be lost, and if too broad, they become so general as to be meaningless." This manual, while still in development, has already been well received and the majority of the document is being used by the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission.

"While we have had considerable success here in Texas in developing a chiropractic protocols' manual, which we considered a critical need," Dr. Martin added, "we believe the profession can best be served by developing a document that represents the nationwide consensus of typical chiropractic standards, protocols, and parameters. We are pleased as an organization to commit our time, energy and financial resources to the Mercy Center Conference and this project."

Texas Chiropractic Association
Austin, Texas

The Southeastern Chiropractic Federation (SCF) involves chiropractic organizations and the boards of examiners of 12 Southeastern states. Representation is open to officers and staff from each organization and board in order to provide a forum for the exchange of information regarding management, legislation, licensing information and general coordination of chiropractic services. The Federation was formed in 1989, through the leadership of staff and officers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. The first meeting was held in Charleston, South Carolina to organize and to elect the initial officers. Bylaws were adopted and Dr. Eugene Lewis of North Carolina was elected as the first president. Frank Kivett, executive director of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association was appointed the executive director of the Federation as a non-paid position and continues to act in that capacity.

Following the initial meeting of the Federation it was decided to expand the area to include the present number of states. The area covered is the same as district five of the Federation of Examining Boards and includes the following states: Alabama; Arkansas; Florida; Georgia; Louisiana; Maryland; Mississippi; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee; Virginia; West Virginia; and Puerto Rico. In the adoption of bylaws there was much concern about voting and representation and the initial provisions included representation of two delegates from each organization and examining board as the voting delegate, with no state to have more than six delegates. However limited the number of voting delegates, each state was encouraged to attend with as many members as possible encouraged to participate.

Committees appointed by officers of the Federation include: Sports Council; Legislative; Educational Coordination; Insurance, and others. Staff attorneys, association legislative lobbyist, and others have come together to provide a meaningful exchange on matters of common concern regarding chiropractic in the several states. Emphasis has centered on cooperation and recommendations by the Federation for consideration by the states individually. It is with this cooperative philosophy in mind that it was determined that the Federation would not operate with a paid staff or a regular budget. All meeting and mailing costs have been met through registration fees at each meeting. However, the Federation has agreed to support the Mercy Conference and to provide support for sponsorship of natural body building competitions (as covered on ESPN) with funds requested from each state. Although all states have not met their financial requests, it is expected that they will do so as they become more involved in Federation activities.

The Federation holds two meetings a year; during the fall meeting the officers are elected. The practice has been to move the meetings from state to state among the active participating states. Meetings have been held in Orlando, Florida, Stone Mountain, Georgia, Huntsville, Alabama, and Nashville, Tennessee, in addition to Charleston. The next meeting will be held in Williamsburg, Virginia in April. The fall meeting is planned for Jackson, Mississippi in October, as a joint meeting with the district five meeting of the Federation of Examining Boards.

Dr. George Chirkinian, former president of the Virginia Chiropractic Association and an early participant in the Federation's activities, is now serving as president of the Southeastern Chiropractic Federation. It is fitting that Virginia serve as host of the next meeting.

Southeastern Chiropractic Federation

Leander Health Technologies Corporation develops, manufactures, and distributes chiropractic motorized flexion distraction tables, manual flexion distraction tables, rehabilitation/therapy equipment, and numerous cervical and spinal support products for use in the chiropractic, rehabilitation, sports medicine and physical conditioning professions and industries.

The company is developing products to meet the demands resulting from certain major trends in the health care market, including the increased acceptance, credibility and popularity of what have been called "preventive" and/or "alternative" health care practitioners, the widespread incidence of lower back pain and disabilities, physical rehabilitation, and the increased emphasis on personal fitness.

The health care industry is one of the largest and fastest growing in the United States. Continued growth of this market is being spurred by the changing nature of this industry in recent years. This industry is currently diversifying in response to the revisions in the medical reimbursement system, new technology, shifting demographics, changing expectations for service, and cost containment from the public and private sector. These events are creating pressure toward more specialization in development of health care facilities such as ambulatory care centers and free standing clinics.

Not only is the structure of the health care industry changing and bringing new practitioners into the mainstream, but so is the scope and practice of health care service. Where once chiropractors were only marginally accepted by the established medical community, they are now being integrated into hospital services across the country and are increasingly developing joint practices with traditional MDs, DOs, PTs, and sports medicine clinics. Also the publics' acceptance of chiropractic is growing with more than 30 million Americans receiving chiropractic care annually.

Recognizing the dramatic shift in demographics, public acceptance of chiropractic as a mainstream health care provider, and the notice being given to chiropractic by traditional medicine, has led Leander to a complete restructuring of its operations. For any company to survive long-term it must develop innovative products. These products must be cost efficient, treat as well as prevent ailments, and provide immediate and long lasting results to succeed in the health care market of the future. Leander has set its course to develop a line of products to meet these challenges. Future emphasis will be on the development of products currently under research, and the acquisition, development, and production of compatible products to its current health care line.

In this expanding and very dynamic health care market, Leander is in the forefront and has one of the highest growth rates within certain segments of the industry. The company, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, is establishing itself as a dominate player in the health care arena. In the years ahead, Leander will unveil products so advanced that they will be considered on the cutting edge of technology, providing not only instant relief from low back problems, but sustained long-term alleviation of pain caused by low back and spinal problems that afflict millions throughout the world.

The company also recognizes that properly funded education and research institutions are paramount to the long-term health and viability of the chiropractic profession. Currently in the development stage is an aggressive certified college donation program, which includes purchase allowances and financing for newly graduating DCs who have passed their state licensing board exams. The company is also planning to establish grants for research through foundations such as the CCR and FCER.

Leander Health Technologies Corporation
Port Orchard, Washington