Since returning from the American Chiropractic Association's National Chiropractic Leadership Conference, I've had some time to reflect on my experience. I've been going to NCLC for many years, but I still come back every time a little changed ... and pumped to do more for my profession. That feeing is not uncommon, based on what I've heard from others and seen in comments on social media. The takeaway (whether you attended NCLC or not): being an advocate for your patients and your profession is doable.
Next Steps: Relationship Building
So, I'm back now; what can I do? I emailed John Falardeau, ACA's senior vice president of public policy and advocacy, to find what my next steps should be. Without hesitation, John said to me, "Follow up on your congressional visits! You have a prime opportunity now to use your face-to-face visit as a springboard to an ongoing relationship with the people who represent you. You need to continue to educate them about our issues."
John explained that ACA members made more than 380 visits on Capitol Hill during NCLC 2019. Information was exchanged and stories about successful patient encounters were shared. I know a lot of people leave those meetings feeling a tremendous sense of accomplishment ... and they should! But Capitol Hill being what it is, there was surely another group with another set of issues right behind them. The pace moves quickly in D.C.
3 Easy Ways to Maintain the Connection
Didn't Attend NCLC? Then Start Locally
Even if you didn't go to NCLC, you can start that relationship locally. You can reach out and let the local offices of your members of Congress know you are a resource of information about chiropractic (and that the ACA is a resource for you if questions do come up that you don't feel comfortable answering).
John said another thing that stuck with me. He mentioned that there are 101 new freshmen in the U.S. House and Senate. Those 101 individuals need to be educated about chiropractic and how it fills an important niche in health care as non-drug pain relief – especially as the opioid epidemic continues to take its toll nationwide. No state has been spared from this public health crisis.
What's Your Plan?
Perhaps never before in the chiropractic profession's history has our relevance and ability to make a positive impact been more evident. It seems so obvious, but the truth is, we still need to do the work to connect the dots for others who are in a position to move things in the right direction by expanding access to chiropractic services. That's my plan for the next year; what's your plan?
Editor's Note: See News in Brief in this issue for a review of this year's NCLC, which also served as the setting for the ACA's annual meeting.
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?
