In an apparent effort to emphasis the importance of diagnosis within chiropractic, the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners passes regulation that dictates the "legal obligation to diagnose." During its July 26, 1990 meeting, the California Board approved changes to Section 331.1 Approval and Eligibility.
The additions to Section 331.1 are:
"Doctors of Chiropractic accept patients who may be initially entering the health care system in California. Therefore, chiropractic doctors have a legal obligation to diagnose and recognize even those diseases and conditions which may be beyond their scope of practice to treat. The purpose for their knowledge of diagnosis and their trained ability to recognize all manner of health problems is to make those appropriate referrals for the overall protection of the public."
The Board also passed subsection 331.1 (d):
"(d) No school shall be approved, provisionally or otherwise, by the board unless the agency accrediting that college, in addition to being recognized by the United States Commissioner of Education, fully accredits educational hours and course work in all of the areas of chiropractic education as required in Section 5 of the Chiropractic Initiative Act and its rules and regulations."
This action by the California Board comes barely one month after the Florida Governor signed into law (please see "Florida Governor Signs Legislation To Insure Quality Of Chiropractic Care" in the July 18, 1990 issue) a bill that addressed similar concerns regarding diagnosis in Florida. While these issues have already been addressed in many states, it will be interesting to see just how the chiropractic profession defines itself in the future.
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?
