On July 28, 1992, the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) ruled:
"...the FHWA has decided that other health care professionals, including doctors of chiropractic, should be permitted to perform the driver physical examination, if they are authorized under state law to conduct such examinations and are proficient in the use of, and use, the medical protocols necessary to adequately perform the physical examination...
"...There is sufficient justification to permit... DCs and other health care professionals to make the driver medical qualification determination and sign the physical examination form and the medical examiners certificate."
The FHWA stated their action properly reflects state licensure law and the "wide acceptance of these professionals by the public, health care facilities, MDs, and DOs."
Since April 1990, when the FHWA took the proposal under consideration, the ACA initiated a broad-based letter writing campaign. In a May 21, 1990 letter to the FHWA, ACA's Executive Vice President J. Ray Morgan wrote: "The physical examination required by the FHWA is virtually indistinguishable from those the DC is trained and licensed to perform. Concerns over the inability of DCs to identify conditions which could disqualify persons from serving as commercial vehicle drivers should be dispelled by the fact that legal requirements demand sufficiency in differential diagnosis."
Reeve Askew, D.C., ACA board member commented that the DOT's action shows the opportunities for the profession's recognition at the federal level.
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?
