| Dear New York Chiropractors,
As the next stakeholder in this important process, the NYSCA is pleased to share this Scope Modernization Discussion Document and Draft with you, along with Frequently Asked Questions. The Scope Modernization committee welcomes your feedback, which can be submitted by emailing modernization@nysca.com.
We hope to enhance the opportunities for chiropractic by creating a scope of practice that matches the level of clinical training chiropractors possess. Our aim is to codify the abilities and services rendered by a doctor of chiropractic.
At present much of what we do is interpreted by our Board and must be related back to spinal dysfunction to be considered in our scope. As such it can be cumbersome, is often misinterpreted by others, and can be challenged at any time.
Chiropractors are able to easily interpret this to satisfy the breadth of services we provide including extremity adjusting, nutritional evaluation, dietary supplementation, diagnosis, examination, and advanced diagnostic testing, Unfortunately government agencies and insurance carriers frequently take a more restricted view of our abilities. As this impacts service delivery, reimbursement, and parity, we would like to change that.
The document for your review does not attempt to change chiropractic. It simply aims to modernize the language to of our enabling statutes, to include among other things the interpretations discussed above, so chiropractors can function effectively and unfettered in an ever-changing healthcare system.
As you will see the document aims to keep chiropractic drug-free and surgery-free. There is NO attempt to include prescription drugs or surgery within the chiropractic scope of practice.
This document has previously been shared with other stakeholders in the process. The Scope Modernization Draft was reviewed by area chiropractic colleges, submitted to the State Board, sent to the New York Chiropractic Council, and shared with the NYSCA Board, House, and membership. To date all comments that were received have been considered and incorporated into the draft that is being shared with you. We hope you will take a moment to review it and as the next stakeholder in the process, provide feedback to the NYSCA Modernization Committee.
We aim to enhance chiropractic and create a scope that is consistent with a doctor of chiropractic’s level of clinical by codifying our ability to:
- Provide extremity adjustments (without having to related it back to the spine)
- Offer dietary evaluation and nutritional consultation
- To diagnose and differentially diagnose
- To examine; which includes stand alone examinations such as those required for DOT exams, school sports physicals, scoliosis screenings, and more.
- Perform stand alone advanced diagnostic services including electrodiagnosis (EMG/NCV) and musculoskeletal ultrasound
- Create CAs that are able to assist with patient care
The hope of clarifying these changes is to allow chiropractic to thrive in the current healthcare landscape. Modernization will allow us to best serve our patients, to achieve parity in coverage and reimbursement, and to be able to express the full capacity of our clinical training.
Please share your support or comments with us at [email protected].
We look forward to creating a bright future for chiropractic. |
