The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) has received a Merit Award in the Digital Health Media/Publications category of the 22nd annual Digital Health Awards program. Held each spring and fall, the awards program is organized by the Health Information Resource Center (HIRC), a national clearinghouse for professionals who work in consumer health fields; and recognizes the world's best digital health information resources. The foundation received the award for its five-article digital series on posture.
"We were delighted to participate in the 22nd annual Digital Health Awards competition and were honored to be selected as a winner," said Sherry McAllister, DC, executive vice president of F4CP. "Our winning entry was chosen from more than 300 entries judged by a panel of distinguished experts from WebMD, Optum, AARP, American Medical Association and Cardinal Health, to name a few."
The foundation is on a proverbial roll when it comes to racking up awards; this Merit Award adds to recent honors including Ragan's Healthcare PR and Marketing Awards, Community Outreach category, for the foundation's "Save Lives, Stop Opioid Abuse, Choose Chiropractic" campaign; a gold PR World Award in the Health Care category for its campaign to educate consumers on opioids dangers and the benefits of chiropractic as a drug-free alternative; and Dr. McAllister's inclusion as one of PR News' Top Women in Healthcare for 2019 (co-winner in the Directors category).
While cervical disc pathology can unquestionably produce radiculopathy, many patients presenting with arm pain, paresthesia or perceived weakness do not exhibit the clinical behavior of true nerve-root compromise. In these cases, failure to differentiate the primary pain generator may lead to unnecessary spinal injections, nerve ablation procedures or surgical consultation despite limited likelihood of benefit.
The New Jersey Board of Chiropractic Examiners has made a precedential decision, concurring with the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors' (ANJC) position paper on chiropractic X-ray guidelines. In plain terms, the board ruled, consistent with the ANJC position, that insurance companies cannot use medical X-ray rules or recommendations, like those written by the American College of Radiology (ACR), to decide whether a chiropractor's X-ray was necessary.
For decades, chiropractors have been told the answer to more professional referrals is simple: educate medical doctors about chiropractic. There is some truth in that advice; but it is also incomplete. The modern challenge is not simply getting another healthcare professional to know that chiropractors exist. It is becoming the kind of clinician (and building the kind of professional relationship) that makes collaboration easy and sustainable.
