Today’s News in Brief
President’s Message
In his final message to Engage 2020 attendees, ACA President Robert C. Jones, DC, credited the bold steps forward that ACA as an organization has taken in recent years with the progress that it is now enjoying and will continue to pursue. “Chiropractic is, every day, becoming less of an alternative option,” he said. “Our voice is the voice of chiropractic in the U.S. and it’s more powerful than it has ever been.”
He pointed specifically to the results of the brand study that ACA conducted in recent years and how—even though some of the feedback was difficult to hear—that process of deep self-reflection as an organization propelled ACA forward with new confidence. He credited past ACA chairman and president, Drs. David Herd and N. Ray Tuck, respectively, for their courage in taking on the branding and governance transformation projects simultaneously, ushering in a new era for the association. He presented both with a President’s Award in recognition of their leadership and the collaborative spirit that they brought to the process.
Board member Karen Konarski-Hart also presented a President’s Award to Claire Johnson, DC, editor of JMPT, for her leadership and excellence in cultivating greater understanding and appreciation for scientific evidence among members of the chiropractic profession.
McAndrews Leadership Lecture: “EPIC: Our Driver, Our Duty, Our Future”
This year’s McAndrews Leadership Lecture was delivered by Richard Brown, DC, secretary-general of the World Federation of Chiropractic and recipient of ACA’s 2020 Chiropractor of the Year Award. Dr. Brown punctuated Engage 2020 with a stirring talk about where the chiropractic profession finds itself now: supported by a growing body of research, meaningfully participating in integrated practice settings and well positioned to make an impact on serious public health challenges such as chronic back pain and the opioid epidemic. “We stand at a time when there has never been a greater need for the healing powers of doctors of chiropractic,” he said.
Dr. Brown praised ACA for its new brand, which emphasizes evidence-based practice, integration and collaboration. He credits the association for showing “courage in the face of resistance” and leading the profession into a new direction. He pointed out that the pursuit of knowledge and research has transformed all of health care, not just chiropractic, and has also changed patients, who now have access to a wealth of information online—making it even more important for providers to stay on top of evidence and to avoid making unsupported claims. “Trust and confidence of chiropractic are damaged when we allow unproven claims to go unchecked,” he explained.
While chiropractic has come a long way, he said, the success that chiropractic has achieved so far also means that the profession is being scrutinized like never before. “Chiropractors are being held to a standard. It’s our duty to meet that standard,” he said. “I’m telling you, we can.”
And with patients changing and evolving as a result of their own pursuit of and access to knowledge, healthcare providers must change accordingly. “Patients are savvy consumers today,” he observed. “They expect the product you deliver to be rigorously tested for effectiveness.”
To meet these new and high expectations, Dr. Brown encouraged doctors and students to “Be EPIC,” an acronym for “evidence-based, people-centered, Interprofessional and collaborative”—qualities that will help take down some of the barriers and silos that prevent chiropractors from achieving their best and integrating more fully into the greater healthcare system. “The walls are coming down,” he maintained. “Let’s harness our skills and talents and be our evidence-based best.”
Awards Presented
ACA’s highest honor, the Chiropractor of the Year Award, was presented today to Richard Brown, DC, of Toronto, Canada, secretary-general of the World Federation of Chiropractic, which includes national chiropractic organizations representing 94 countries and seven world regions. He previously served as president of the British Chiropractic Association and as secretary-general of the European Chiropractors’ Union. In addition to increasing unity in the chiropractic profession globally, Dr. Brown has worked tirelessly to raise standards of care by promoting policies that support evidence-based care and patient-centeredness. He has also been a strong proponent of chiropractors working collaboratively with other providers for the benefit of patients. (Dr. Richard Brown is pictured above, standing left, receiving his Chiropractor of the Year Award from Dr. Ray Tuck.)
Additional ACA Award recipients:
Dana Madigan, DC, MPH, of Elmwood Park, Ill., and Kristina Petrocco-Napuli, DC, MS of Grover, Mo., both received the Academician of the Year Award, which recognizes individuals for their efforts to advance the profession through academic or educational excellence. Dr. Madigan is an assistant professor at National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Ill., and Dr. Petrocco-Napuli is a professor at Logan University in Chesterfield, Mo., as well as a member of the adjunct faculty of New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls, N.Y. (Dr. Petrocco-Napuli is pictured below, receiving her award from Dr. Robert Vining, last year’s winner.)
Katherine Pohlman, DC, DICCP, MS, of Plano, Texas, received the George B. McClelland Researcher of the Year Award, recognizing an individual for developing, refining and/or expanding the body of knowledge in chiropractic. Dr. Pohlman is the director of research at Parker University in Dallas, Texas. (Dr. Pohlman is pictured below, receiving her award from Dr. Robert Vining, last year’s winner.)
New NextGen Award Presented
The first-ever NextGen Member of the Year Award was presented at Engage 2020. The award, officially called the Dr. Michele Maiers Leadership Award, is named for ACA’s vice president, who was instrumental in guiding the creation of the NextGen group and who has been a mentor for many early career doctors. The first recipient of the award is Andrea Ohmann, DC, of Plano, Texas, for her passion and dedication to NextGen, and her leadership within ACA and the profession. (Dr. Ohmann is pictured receiving her award from Dr. Jon Parham.)
Welcome New GAC Members!
Two members of ACA upgraded to a Governors’ Advisory Cabinet (GAC) membership at Engage 2020. Special thanks to:
- Joseph G. Morelli, Jr., DC, FICC (Del – HI)
- Kathryn Baker, DC (Del – KY)
New Practitioner Prepaid Members
Eleven recent graduates took advantage of ACA’s New Practitioner Prepaid Plan during Engage 2020.
- Alexander Elahi, DC
- Alexa Garcia, DC
- Kyle Koerner, DC
- Sharon Montgomery, DC
- Tyler Reidhead, DC
- Korey J. Sawdey, DC
- Carina Staab, DC
- Holly Stephens, DC
- Sheldon Stuckart, DC
- Maithy B. Ta, DC
- James D. Walters, DC
Special Thanks to Engage 2020 Sponsors and Exhibitors!
See You at ACA Engage 2021!
ACA would like to thank you for your attendance and participation at Engage 2020. We hope to see you at Engage 2021 on Feb. 3-6, 2021! Please check your email tomorrow for a brief feedback survey.
