Key Findings From Latest Annual Gallup-Palmer Report
Dynamic Chiropractic Staff
| DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
The fourth annual Gallup – Palmer College report is out; here are some of the key findings excerpted directly from the executive summary:
"For neck or back pain care, eight out of 10 adults in the United States (80%) prefer to see a health care professional who is an expert in spine-related conditions instead of a general medicine professional who treats a variety of conditions (15%)."
"Prescription pain medications are not preferred as a first step for care among the vast majority of U.S. adults. When given a choice, nearly eight out of 10 (79%) say they prefer to try other ways to address physical pain before they take pain medication prescribed by a doctor."
"Among those who saw a health care professional for neck or back pain in the last 12 months, 62% saw a medical doctor and 53% saw a chiropractor. About a third saw a physical therapist (34%) or massage therapist (34%) for care."
"Nearly half of adults who saw a [DC] for significant neck or back pain (52%) said one of the biggest reasons they chose chiropractic care was because 'this health care professional provides the most effective treatment for my pain.' More than four in 10 patients who saw a physical therapist (42%) and 23% who saw a medical doctor for significant neck or back pain said effectiveness was one of the biggest reasons they chose this type of health care provider."
"Roughly nine out of 10 adults who saw a chiropractor most often for significant neck or back pain in the last 12 months say their chiropractor often listens (93%), provides convenient, quick access to care (93%), demonstrates care/compassion (91%) and explains things well (88%) – and 90% of chiropractic patients say that their chiropractor spends the right amount of time with them."
The entire 2018 report, "Managing Neck and Back Pain in America," is available by clicking here. Look for a more detailed article in the December issue of DC. You can also click here for our December 2017 article detailing key findings from last year's report.
For chiropractors practicing today, Dr. Warren Hammer’s legacy is particularly visible in several areas that have become familiar components of modern musculoskeletal care: his early work with the Graston Technique and instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization; his extensive writing and teaching on functional soft-tissue examination and treatment; his role in bringing fascial manipulation to U.S. clinicians; and his decades spent educating chiropractors and other health professionals.
Financial pressure, enrollment declines and institutional challenges are emerging at several U.S. chiropractic colleges. Life Chiropractic College West's and Life University's struggles may be the most talked about but appear to be part of a larger story. And with recent USDE requirements threatening to hamstring federal student financing for DC degree programs, chiropractic education is facing questions for which it has no immediate answers.
The term standard of care is a legal term and a medical concept. There is no single, universally recognized standard of care document or authoritative reference. The medical concept defines what practitioners should do in practice. The legal term used determines whether a practitioner failed to meet that expectation. This article examines the standard of care for the doctor of chiropractic.
