The National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company (NCMIC), through the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER), has funded a $76,523 RAND Corporation study on patient compliance of doctor recommendations.
The list of co-investigators involved in this project is impressive indeed. Ian Coulter, Ph.D., a sociologist, is currently a researcher at LACC, a health consultant at RAND, and is a past president of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC). Ronald Hays, Ph.D., is a psychometrician at RAND with expertise in evaluating self-reported patient satisfaction with health care and patient adherence. Robin DiMatteo, Ph.D., a University of California at Riverside psychologist affiliated with RAND, is also an expert in the field of patient adherence.
The study is surveying 150 chiropractors and 1,500 patients in the greater Los Angeles area. Patients will complete two self-report surveys approximately one month apart assessing patient adherence, satisfaction with treatment, and health-related quality of life. This information will help doctors in developing effective intervention strategies when confronted with patient non-compliance.
"The importance of this study," said Arnold Ciancuilli, D.C., president of NCMIC, "is to indicate to our doctors that the ability to communicate in an empathetic manner is not only critical to healing, but to the prevention of malpractice. This kind of study allows the profession to see if it is living up to its primary care role in the doctor/patient relationship."
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?
