Significant progress is being made in a study of federal funding policies that was initiated by the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER). This far-reaching project seeks to determine why there is an absence of federal funding or chiropractic research and education-related programs, and to develop a sound strategic plan to remedy the situation.
"The federal funding project reaffirms FCER's commitment to research that is conducted within accepted methods of data collection and analysis," said Steve Wolk, Ph.D., FCER's executive director. "Only by strictly adhering to these standards can the results of the project be appropriate to policymaking."
The study is designed to first collect and summarize information and, in its final stages, explore possible reasons and solutions for the absence of federal funding. Corporate Health Policies Group (CHPG), the Washington-based health care consulting firm that is conducting the project, has completed two of the critical data-gathering phases of the study.
To learn why federal funds are not currently available to the chiropractic profession, prominent federal officials are being interviewed. CHPG investigators have conducted in-depth interviews with representatives from the National Institutes of Health, including the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, and Skin Diseases; the Health Resources and Services Administration; the Bureau of Health Professions; the Department of Education; the National Center for Educational Statistics; and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Much of the research that could receive federal funding takes place at the chiropractic colleges. For this reason, an important part of the data-gathering phase of the project is taking place at the colleges. Site visits have been completed at National College of Chiropractic, Northwestern College of Chiropractic, Cleveland Chiropractic College/Kansas City, Palmer College of Chiropractic/West, and Life Chiropractic College. Survey forms from all the chiropractic colleges in the United States are also being processed.
Projects like the federal funding project are part of FCER's ongoing commitment to the future of chiropractic through research and education.
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?
