Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are slated to head  home to their districts and states on July 26. The start of the traditional summer recess comes after, what both parties will tell you, was a less than productive session, leaving several issues unresolved. Nonetheless, in August, members will hold town hall forums, listening sessions and other public events geared toward gauging constituent views and interests. Doctors of chiropractic are especially encouraged to seek out their federal legislators at these public town hall meetings because they are a great way to begin establishing a relationship, or strengthening an existing one, with your lawmaker's office.

For the past year, Drs. Vivian Ly, Danielle Aslan and Jamie Zeman have shared insights and experiences from their chiropractic residencies in the Veterans Administration (VA) healthcare system. This summer, all three are moving on to the next chapter of their careers, but not without some important revelations about patient care, the roll of evidence, and more garnered during their unique educational experiences. 

The Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2019 (H.R. 3654) is bipartisan legislation championed by ACA and introduced in Congress on July 9 by Reps. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) and Tom Reed (R-N.Y.). The bill would correct a longstanding oversight and give seniors access to the full array of Medicare services that their doctors of chiropractic are qualified and licensed to provide in their respective states.

What do young chiropractic professionals think when they see physicians who are generationally different in thinking and practice than the way they want to practice? Do they have concerns that the established older generation of physicians will not look to them for input on how they want to practice when chiropractic healthcare policies are made? As a profession, how do we reconcile these differences so that our young professionals can have a long and fulfilling life of clinical experiences? ACA President Robert C. Jones, DC, invites you to share your dream of what chiropractic is to you.

Problems involving the hip are some of the most frequently undiagnosed or misdiagnosed conditions. When a patient presents with hip pain, chiropractors immediately consider the most probable culprits—like greater throchanteric pain syndrome and osteoarthritis. But what if the diagnosis is not so straightforward? A new paper by Lee¹ identified the four top undiagnosed causes of hip pain.

The biopsychosocial model is a widely recommended method of clinical evaluation and management. The model identifies three important areas. “Bio” refers to evaluating/treating biological problems (e.g., pathology), “psych” refers to psychological health, and “social” refers to a person’s relationships with others and the environment. However, some evidence suggests that practitioners, as a group, may not be addressing “social” components of health as much as they could.

The healthcare landscape in the United States is rapidly evolving. Population Spine Health Management and other contemporary practice principles are being implemented by hospital systems and physicians nationwide. Author David J. BenEliyahu, DC, who is an administrator of back pain and chiropractic programs at Mather Hospital/Northwell Health in Port Jefferson, N.Y., believes chiropractors should become versed in these contemporary practice principles and consider implementing them into their practices, which will not only improve outcomes but also enhance the progressive identity of the chiropractic profession.

Recent history has shown that those at the scene of an accident or a mass-casualty event can play a vital role in saving lives until first responders arrive, but for some the thought of stepping in during a crisis is intimidating. Karen Konarski-Hart, DC, found herself in several situations years ago and resolved to become better skilled. Today, as a licensed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), she is involved extensively in disaster relief efforts and promoting the value of a new campaign, Stop the Bleed, designed to teach the public simple steps that can save the life of someone experiencing heavy bleeding. Learn more about this program and how chirorpactors can get involved.

ACA continues its work to re-introduce a bill that would increase access to chiropractic services for Medicare beneficiaries. A similar bill introduced in 2018 is being used as a starting point for a 2019 bill and was a focal point at NCLC 2019. The proposed legislation would simply update the current Medicare statute and allow patients to access all Medicare-covered benefits permitted under a chiropractor’s licensure. 

Chronic pain is a complex condition influencing behaviors, thoughts and mood. With opioid issues coming to light, there has been more emphasis and research into multi-faceted, biopsychosocial models to treatment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of talk-therapy treatment that focuses on addressing and removing the negative impacts chronic pain has on thoughts and functions. The Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (OMHSP) has implemented a national initiative to disseminate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain throughout the Veterans Health Administration to make this treatment widely available to veterans.