Palmer West Recognized by NCQA
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality, has recognized the Palmer Chiropractic Clinic in San Jose, Calif., for providing superior care to patients suffering from low back pain. The clinic is only the second health care provider in the state to receive such recognition.
The NCQA developed the Back Pain Recognition Program, the first independent program to systematically evaluate back pain management, to improve patient outcomes by motivating health care providers to document and improve their spine care. To be recognized, the Palmer Clinic submitted data demonstrating excellence relative to the program's key measures, which include variables such as initial visit, physical exam and appropriate imaging for acute back pain.
"Our recognition through the NCQA Back Pain Recognition Program provides external validation for our patients and community that we have processes in place to ensure that we consistently deliver high-quality, evidence-based care in an effort to generate the best patient outcomes," said Gregory Snow, DC, dean of clinics at Palmer West.
The NCQA developed requirements for the Back Pain Recognition Program using widely accepted medical evidence and significant input from back pain specialists, health plans and employer representatives. To learn more, visit www.ncqa.org/BPRP.
DC Starts Nonprofit Foundation for Children
Beatrice Tapia, DC, has co-founded the Wishing You Well Foundation, an organization dedicated to conducting outcome studies on the benefit of complementary and alternative medicine for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and high-functioning autism. The foundation also provides access to care for children who could not otherwise afford such care.
According to Dr. Tapia, the foundation will publish case studies and outcome assessments to help establish treatment protocols, and will share its findings with insurance companies, providers, educators, social workers and therapists. Projected protocols include chiropractic, dietary restrictions, nutritional supplements, brain function assessment, exercise, and laser treatments. Treatment will also include testing for food sensitivities, bacterial overgrowth, detoxification issues, amino acid deficiencies, and metabolic dysfunction.
The foundation expects to receive grant funding in 2009. Until then, it requires initial seed funds to cover the expenses of the first 30 children participating in the study. To make a donation, volunteer, sponsor an event and/or receive additional information, contact Dr. Tapia at drbtapia@aol.com.
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?
