New CCA President Appointed to Task Force
Dr. Willard Smith, recently sworn in for a second term as president of the California Chiropractic Association (CCA), has been appointed by California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi to serve on the Insurance Department's Task Force on Consumer Complaints.
Dr. Smith has been assigned to represent the chiropractic profession and patients on the Health/Life/Disability subcommittee. His introductory remarks at the Task Force's first meeting stressed that chiropractic patients and their doctors are seeking "a level playing field" to show the value of chiropractic care and receive fair coverage within the insurance system.
Dr. Smith was sworn in as CCA president at the association's 63rd Annual Convention in Monterey. Since joining the CCA in 1968, he served as the CCA's second vice president, treasurer, and secretary. Dr. Smith is past president of the Alameda County Chiropractic Society, and is active in the American Black Chiropractic Association. A graduate of the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, Dr. Smith was appointed by then-Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., to the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners in 1976 and served for over eight years on the Board.
CCA Presents Awards at Annual Convention
At its Annual Convention in Monterey, the CCA presented awards to various associations and individuals. Dr. Robert L. Dark was named "Doctor of the Year;" Darrick W. Lawson received the "Student of the Year" award; the "Society of the Year" was the Contra Costa Chiropractic Society; and the "New Doctor of the Year" was Diane Melendrez.
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?
