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Getting Chiropractic to the Magical 18%
TIPPING POINT The
December 2013/January 2014
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contents December 2013/January 2014
46
COLUMNS
35 VOLUME 42
n
48 We’ve Known All Along by Rebecca Koch
50 PoliTICal Thots
NO. 6
by Gerry Clum, D.C.
Features
DEPARTMENTS
8 Tipping Point The Octagon Completes Its First Five Years 16
How Chiropractic Can Reach the Tipping Point
20 Costa Rica by Craig Dekshenieks 24 It’s My LIFE Sprinting Toward Success by Laura Newsome 35 Connect-TIC Telling Chiropractic’s Story by Gwyn Herbein 40 What If? The Safety Question and Pediatric Chiropractic by Gerry Clum and Drew Rubin 46 The Science, Art, Philosophy and Business of Chiropractic by Craig Dekshenieks
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30 Alumni Spotlight 32 Upcoming Events 56 What People Are Saying
IN EVERY ISSUE 4
Our Contributors
6 The Road to Awesome 38 Fresh Air 54 Classifieds and Advertising Index
our contributors
450 Northridge Parkway, Suite 202, Atlanta, GA 30350 Phone: 770.650.1102
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Fax: 770.650.2848
todayschiropractic.com
life university President Dr. Guy Riekeman Director of Communications Craig Dekshenieks craig.dekshenieks@life.edu
EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD
Simone Branham
Craig Dekshenieks
Dr. Gerry Clum
Dr. Kathryn Haag
Dr. Matt McCoy
Dr. Guy Riekeman
Dr. Drew Rubin
Dr. Jason Dietch
NEW SOUTH PUBLISHING, INC.
Gwyn Herbein
Laura Newsome
A native of Knoxville, Tenn., Gwyn Herbein is a graduate of Emory University with a degree in creative writing and women’s studies and a graduate of Emerson College in Boston with a master’s degree in magazine publishing. She has worked in the consumer and medical publishing fields in Boston, Philadelphia and Atlanta. In “Telling Chiropractic’s Story,” (pg. 35), Herbein looks at the unique ways in which LIFE is using the strategies put forward by marketing guru Seth Godin. “It was so interesting to look at someone outside the profession whose philosophy is often simpatico with Life University,” she says. “Godin’s groundbreaking approach to marketing, and the ways in which LIFE has tailored it to Chiropractic, is really pushing the profession forward and into the mainstream.”
With degrees in English and magazine journalism, Laura Newsome is a professional freelance writer living in the heart of New York City. A contributor to Today’s Chiropractic LifeStyle since its inception, Newsome has written for numerous publications on topics as diverse as health care, business trends, history, music, food and travel. As a high school distance runner who logged her fair share of 400s in practice, Newsome was able to appreciate the depths of Zoila Stewart’s talent, training and tenacity (pg. 24). “I have never interviewed an Olympian before, so it was exciting to speak with Zoila about her experiences in Barcelona and Atlanta—both Games I watched with great enthusiasm growing up. The Olympics have a remarkable way of bringing countries together, and I think Zoila Stewart really exemplifies the Olympic spirit. Through hard work and dedication she elevated the profile of Costa Rica before the world’s stage, she elevated Life University’s sports program with first-place performances at national competitions and now she is doing the same thing for Chiropractic as she brings her beloved profession back home to Costa Rica.”
President Larry Lebovitz Vice President John Hanna Publisher Jamie Ryan Editor Gwyn Herbein editor@todayschiropractic.com Associate Editor Jacqui Frasca Art Director Katja Adams Advertising Sales Colin Villone colin@todayschiropractic.com Production Coordinator Amber Mosler Circulation Coordinator Amy Fine Controller Marilyn Walker Editorial Policy Today’s Chiropractic Leadership magazine (ISSN 0091-2360) is published six times per year by New South Publishing, 450 Northridge Parkway, Suite 202, Atlanta, GA 30350. 770.650.1102; Fax: 770.650.2848. Postmaster: Send address changes to Today’s Chiropractic Leadership, 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta, GA 30060-9854. It is the purpose of Today’s Chiropractic Leadership to nurture the spirit, mind and body of today’s chiropractors. Our goal is for the magazine to be a spearhead for progress in chiropractic health care, to offer a forum for new ideas and to promote chiropractic awareness and understanding. However, the publisher and editorial staff do not necessarily endorse the conclusions or opinions expressed by contributing authors or advertisers. Life University, a private, nonprofit institution, was founded in 1974. For more information, write to Life University, 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta, GA 30060. Material in this publication may not be reprinted without written permission from the editorial offices in Marietta. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2013–2014 Life University. Printed in the USA.
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December 2013/January 2014
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the road to
Awesome
It’s Only 18 Percent
L Something New … Or If You Ain’t Pissing Someone Off, You’re Not Doing Anything to Challenge the Status Quo
ife University has started a project to exact a tipping point in the social culture that would arguably make Chiropractic a household word. I asked an audience of 400 the other day how many of them didn’t have a dentist … five hands went up. I have always dreamed, as I’m sure you have, of the day when we get the same response to the question, “How many of you don’t have a chiropractor?” I’ve spent my life focused on delivering Chiropractic to the public with the technologies available. Lectures to patients in my office in Kansas City in 1973, videos with movie stars in 1979, a television documentary for the Chiropractic Centennial in 1995 and, today, the greatest medium for connecting people … social media (the Internet). The project we’ve initiated and have handed over to the profession is called 18 percent, indicating the percentage of people that need to hear our story to hit Roger’s famous Tipping Point. The technology we use is called AmpLIFEied, and you can read more about it and your role in this edition of TCL. There is much to do to make this happen. There are all sorts of arguments about why it won’t work and who could have done it better, but the truth is no one did and at some point you have to start, learn and adapt along the way. The details are deep and complex, but the answer and goal is simple … …20,000 chiropractors sign up for the free web page, AmpLIFEied, where there exists the richest source of free vitalistic chiropractic information ever available to share with your patients starting today. We’ll get the 20,000 TORS signed up over the next three years. …Your commitment is to sign up 1,000 patients on your social media networks like Facebook over the same three years. This is critical to build the NETWORK. …In three years, I will make a powerful exposé on Chiropractic, and we want to hit 63 million people with our message (18 percent of the U.S. population). …Here’s the math: 20,000 DCs x 1,000 patients each = 20 million interested people. Let’s say that just five of the 1,000 patients in your practice send it on to someone else (this is very conservative), we now have hit 100 million people with the chiropractic story. And with this network built up, we can do it daily. We already have more than 2,000 docs signed up in the first eight weeks. I posted a short video the other day for docs to use, and in 48 hours it already had 126,000 views. We’re on our way … JOIN AmpLIFEied TODAY AND START SHARING THE STORY. And to the naysayers, something from author and cultural change guru, Seth Godin…
It Probably Looks Higher From Up There When we find ourselves on the edge of a precipice, looking down at the depths of the chasm below, it’s easy to think that this time we went too far, that our plan is far too risky, that our product is way too bizarre, that our behavior is just too weird … The funny thing about perspective is that most bystanders don’t see you standing on a precipice at all. They see someone doing something a little edgy, but by no means nuts. Just about all commercial behavior is banal. Even in movies that deal with businesspeople, the characters don’t dream nearly big enough about one’s ability to change the culture or the enterprise. You’re far more likely to go not-far-enough than you are to go too far. Internal monologue amplifies personal drama. To the outsider, neither exists. That’s why our ledge-walking rarely attracts a crowd. What’s in your head is real, no doubt about it, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us can see the resistance you are battling (or care about it).
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December 2013/January 2014
tipping
Point
In his book “The Tipping Point,” Malcolm Gladwell explores the magical moment when an idea, trend or behavior crosses a threshold and begins to spread like wildfire. Through its initiatives, programs and curriculum, Life University is furthering Chiropractic in the world and taking it to the tipping point.
The Octagon Completes Its First Five Years
I
n the early 2000s, Life University President Guy Riekeman, D.C., articulated his vision for a broad-based think tank to be developed at Life University to allow the University itself, as well as the chiropractic profession, to be more directly involved in “the great conversations of our time.” The Octagon, as envisioned by Riekeman, would serve to advance dialogue on campus, in the chiropractic profession, in health care and in the community at large related to the University’s Eight Core Proficiencies: n Integrity & Citizenship; n Relationship & Communication Theory/Skills; n The Philosophy of Human Existence & Health Care Policy; n Leadership & Entrepreneurship; n Belief Systems & Performance;
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n Learning Theory & Critical Thinking; n Contemporary Scientific Paradigms; n Integrative Change Throughout much of the history of the chiropractic profession, our infrastructure, including our educational environment, has been directed toward survival. The need to direct attention and resources to challenges before us left little for us to use to build ourselves, to refine our thinking and to engage others in our hopes and dreams for the future. The Octagon was created as a community of scholars, academics, researchers, practitioners and fellow travelers who would seek to provide Life University and the chiropractic world with a vehicle and resources to conduct the dialogue needed. One of the first challenges of The Octagon was determining where to jump in, as
December 2013/January 2014
each of the eight areas of emphasis of the University could easily be the life’s work of teams of participants. After careful reflection and much discussion, the entry point appeared to be clear—the perspective on life and health that underpinned all of the activity of LIFE itself—an exploration of contemporary vitalism and its role in society. The inaugural event of The Octagon involved a multi-national, multi-disciplined panel of experts to begin to explore and hopefully articulate the current status and implications for contemporary vitalism. The leadership for this effort, as chosen by Riekeman, was Stephen Bolles, D.C. Bolles, an articulate and thoughtful chiropractor with a background in chiropractic practice, chiropractic educa-
The 2013 Octagon conferees
tion and healthcare administration, was a superb choice to initiate the conferences of The Octagon in 2009. Under his guidance, the conferees began a process of critical evaluation of the nature and role of vitalism in the 21st century. This dialogue was an essential starting point for the entire process. The proceedings of the 2009 Octagon Conference can be downloaded at LIFEOctagon.org. In 2010, The Octagon focused on implementing the recommendations developed in the first iteration of the conference. Again this work involved a select group of academics, clinicians and scholars who continued the dialogue on vitalism in our times. The proceedings of the 2010 Octagon Conference can also be downloaded at LIFEOctagon.org. 2011 saw some important changes
The Octagon was created as a community of scholars, academics, researchers, practitioners and fellow travelers who would seek to provide Life University and the chiropractic world with a vehicle and resources to conduct the dialogue needed.
in the activities of The Octagon. Gerry Clum, D.C., recently retired from the presidency of Life Chiropractic College West after 30 years in office, was appointed director of The Octagon by Riekeman. From this point to the present, Clum and Bolles have continued their efforts on behalf of The Octagon. In addition, 2011 also saw a content shift within The Octagon, with an exploration of contemporary scientific paradigms related to the principles and practice of Chiropractic. Arguably, the leaders in research in Chiropractic were recruited and brought to Life University for the first seminar-oriented presentation of The Octagon. Heidi Haavik, D.C., Ph.D., of the New Zealand College of Chiropractic; Jay Triano, D.C., Ph.D., of Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College; and Christine Goertz, D.C.,
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December 2013/January 2014 9
Tipping
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Ph.D., of Palmer College of Chiropractic were joined by luminaries in the fields of epigenetics and human potential— Bruce Lipton, Ph.D., and Joe DiSpenza, D.C. The program was rounded out by a presentation from Nobel candidate Raymond Damadian, M.D., the inventor of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and Scott Rosa, D.C., on chiropractic specific applications of Damadian’s weight-bearing MRI technology.
“Chiropractic: 2025” as a seed document and point of reference for an invitational conference on Sept. 12–14 on the campus of Life University and resulted in recommendations for the adoption of a “Health Charter” (paralleling the Earth Charter), the development of a journal to advance scholarly activity related to the field of vitalism and the development of professional qualities and attributes of
Qui ipsanis eostior emolupti ipis sum sunt parum corumquatur, quatius volo beriberiam et as quid quam fugit fuga. —Name Name, D.C.
In 2012, Clum and Bolles continued their collaboration to bring a thorough overview and exploration of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to the chiropractic community. This program brought more than a dozen content specialists on various aspects of the Affordable Care Act to The Octagon. The 2012 Octagon Conference proceedings on video are available at no cost at LIFEOctagon.org The 2013 version of The Octagon used the March 2013 report of the Institute for Alternative Futures (IAF) entitled
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vitalism oriented practitioners regardless of discipline. The annual Octagon conference, chaired by Clum, brought together representatives from several different fields interested in advancing the subject of vitalism in their respective areas as well as in society in general. Clearly there was no intent for this conference to be exclusively “chiro-centric;” rather, the goal was for it to be oriented toward the advancement of vitalistic perspectives in health care and the broader society and how this advancement would in turn impact the
December 2013/January 2014
various fields of health care represented. “The IAF report, released at the annual meeting of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, provided an ideal platform for this year’s Octagon effort,” says Clum. “The IAF again presented their findings related to the profession in their four-scenario format—one rather negative, one somewhat negative, one somewhat positive and one rather positive. The title of the most positive outcome envisioned by the IAF was ‘Vitalism and Value.’ The goal of our efforts was to explore what could be done to bring about the possible future envisioned in this scenario sooner and in a more robust manner,” he adds. The inclusion of “Scenario Four: Vitalism and Value” represents an important acknowledgement of the work of The Octagon as it is the first such reference in any of the three reports of the IAF examining the range of possibilities they see for the future of the chiropractic profession. The element that made the entire effort come together so effectively was the agreement of the Chairman of the Institute for Alternative Futures, Clem Bezold, Ph.D., to present his findings and rationale to the group and to then participate over three days as a conferee. Leaders in disciplines that shared this vision of “Vitalism and Value” were sought from several fields in health care, as well as from different perspectives in society, including persons experienced in policy development, research and, of course, futurists and included: n Beth Clay, principal, Beth Clay Associates, Washington, D.C. n Lucia Thornton, MSN, past president of the American Holistic Nurses Association n Pamela Snider, ND, director, Foundations of Naturopathic Medicine Project
n Stephanie Sullivan, D.C., Ph.D. (Cand.), director of sponsored research, Life University n Martin Harvey, D.C., president, The Australian Spinal Research Foundation n Craig Becker, Ph.D., associate professor, East Carolina University n Jim Rosenberg, D.C., director of chiropractic services, Cancer Treatment Centers of America n Barbara Dossey, RN, Ph.D., co-director, International Nurse Coach Association In reflecting on the backgrounds, experiences and personalities of the panel of invited experts Clum notes, “To some degree, each person came to the table thinking he or she spoke a different language, that his or her view of vitalism as it relates to healing was unique, perhaps even a little odd; however, it was immediately realized that we were all speaking the same language—the language of a vitalistic perspective in health, health care and life in general. We each had our own terms and brought different nuances to those terms, but it was soon clear that we were all saying the same thing.” This sense of shared experience and understanding was expressed by all of the conferees. Clay, a seasoned Washington, D.C., policy analyst and advisor, notes, “The Octagon 2013 event was a bit like a homecoming—spending time among friends and colleagues who share a life mission of advancing health and healing. It was rejuvenating and inspiring. I look forward to being a part of a strategy to advance the emergence of a unified philosophy of contemporary vitalism across the healing professions, academia, policy and practice.” One of the more important breakthrough moments during the conference was a suggestion from Dossey to review the Earth Charter developed by the Earth Charter International based at the University for Peace, a 30-plus-year-old effort mandated by the United Nations and located in Costa Rica.
Dossey’s direction was exactly what was needed, as the Earth Charter offered an ideal template to be adapted from a global ecology, freedom and justice commentary to a statement on health and health care. The Octagon 2013 conferees dubbed the derivative document “The Health Charter.”
“The Octagon 2013 event was a bit like a homecoming— spending time among friends and colleagues who share a life mission of advancing health and healing. It was rejuvenating and inspiring. I look forward to being a part of a strategy to advance the emergence of a unified philosophy of contemporary vitalism across the healing professions, academia, policy and practice.” —Beth Clay, Principal, Beth Clay Associates
in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures, belief systems and life forms, we are one human family and one community with a common destiny. While respecting individual and organizational sovereignty and belief systems, it is important that we join together to bring forth a sustainable healthy global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice and a culture of peace and prosperity. Our Body, Our Home
Every human being is part of a vast, evolving universe. Our bodies and our homes are a unique expression of life within the broader community of life. The forces of nature and individual and organizational decisions make existence a challenging, exciting and uncertain adventure. We have been provided with the resources and the conditions essential to life’s advancement toward a better existence. The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual resilience of our beings and the well-being of humanity depend upon preserving and promoting a healthy biosphere with all its ecological systems, a rich diversity of plants and animals, fertile soils, pure waters and clean air. The finite resources of the global environment are a sacred trust and a common concern of all people as they protect and build the vitality, diversity and beauty of our very beings. The Dominant Health Care Situation
The Health Charter Preamble
We stand at a critical moment in our history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world and its communities become increasingly interdependent and potentially fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward, it is important that we recognize that
The current emphases of health care focusing on pathogenesis as opposed to salutogenesis is serving to bring about an unsustainable intervention and consumption model that ignores the natural healing process and holds the potential for extremely adverse environmental impacts, the depletion of resources, a reduction in personal
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December 2013/January 2014 11
Tipping
Point
responsibility and a profound dependency on pharmacology for the health of the species. The vitality and resilience of individuals, communities and economies are being undermined. The benefits of health promotion strategies and diverse pathways to healing are not shared equitably, and the gap between those who have access and the freedom to utilize these strategies and those who do not continues. Economic uncertainty, injustice, poverty, ignorance, violence and conflict remain, leading to great suffering. The prevalence of lifestyle and preventable diseases and related suffering continue to escalate.
for our present and future well-being as well as that of the human family and the larger living world. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the mystery of being, gratitude for the gift of life and humility regarding the human place in nature.
The Challenges Ahead
The choice is ours: create a global awareness of health and the elements that contribute to a better tomorrow or continue on the current path toward populations experiencing diminished health and shortened lifespans. Fundamental changes are needed to identify and implement values, institutions and ways of living to create and sustain this global awareness. We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce adverse impacts on the environment by working equitably together with respect. The emergence of a global emphasis on health versus disease is creating new opportunities to build a stronger and more vibrant world. Universal Responsibility
To realize these aspirations—adopting, teaching and promoting a sense of universal responsibility, identifying our lifestyle choices with our health circumstances as well as that of our local communities—is vital. We are at once individuals as well as citizens of different communities, states, nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked and interdependent. We each share responsibility
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“The Octagon’s focus on transdisciplinary vitalism work is a brilliant move, a unique initiative and is key to transforming the health care system. This is fertile ground for sophisticated work, which The Octagon is leading.” —Pamela Snider, ND, Director, Foundations of Naturopathic Medicine Project “The Health Charter has the potential to be a beacon, a North Star if you will, to be disseminated and adopted around the world as a statement of rights, responsibilities and direction for health care
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in the future,” says Clum. “It is a stake in the ground that lays out principles of what should be available to patients, based upon patient-centeredness embracing all health enhancing disciplines and traditions.” The Health Charter will be formally presented to Riekeman with hopes that it will in turn be submitted to the Board of Trustees of Life University for adoption. The second of the more quantifiable outcomes of The Octagon 2013 was the call for the development of a journal addressing the unique perspectives of contemporary vitalism in health care and beyond. Initial efforts are underway, evaluating everything from the costs of such an effort to the requirements for the journal to be appropriately indexed and recognized as a scholarly effort. Finally, the need to bring focus and clarity to what is meant by the term a vitalistically-oriented practitioner was explored by the panelists. A working group was created to explore any precedents that would help inform this discussion and to develop an initial approach to the question. Other outcomes of the 2013 Octagon effort were not as tangible but were equally potent. “The Octagon’s focus on trans-disciplinary vitalism work is a brilliant move, a unique initiative and is key to transforming the healthcare system,” observes Snider. “Health promotion (lifestyle, etc.) is easier to understand for our mainstream colleagues than to understand the nature of the life force, consciousness, the innate healing process and the ‘healing forces’ themselves. This is fertile ground for sophisticated work, which The Octagon is leading.” “The forum created connections between people with different professions but a common vitalistic perspective,” says the lone international representative, Harvey of Australia. “These connections and the outputs that come from them will impact research, clinical practice, public relations and public policy. All of this will lead to a greater level of use of
Our fantastic lineup of inspirationalists and visionaries: Sebastian Bonnin Debra Cirone Dennis Cirone Joseph Clarino Austin Cohen Troy Dukowitz Danny Gambino Patrick Gentempo Brad Glowaki Sharon Gorman
Michael Hall Jay Handt Gilles Lamarche Carol Ann Malizia Rick Marksen
LIFE VISION is a two-day shot of
Francis Murphy
high-energy, high-impact
Eric Plasker
inspirational and
educational moments designed to bring current and future
chiropractic leaders of all perspectives together to
connect and re-charge. This is a series of presentations
delivered by visionaries who have lived it, are living it, and
will continue to live it. It’s a “heart” seminar. JOIN US FOR THE TIME
OF YOUR LIFE. RENAISSANCE ATLANTA WAVERLY HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER
Chuck Ribley Cathy Wendland-Colby
YOU’LL WANT TO BE THERE!
LIFE VISION Special Presentations: The Power of the Chiropractic Adjustment with Dr. F. Murphy & Dr. Michael Hall Friday 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 Kim Klapp & Brandi MacDonald Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. CA Breakout Program President’s Luncheon with Dr. Guy Riekeman Saturday 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m.
FRIDAY 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 - 9:00 p.m. SATURDAY 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
LIFE VISION NETWORKING FRIDAY NIGHT 9:00 - 11:00 p.m. RENAISSANCE LOBBY BAR
Register today at: LIFEVisionSeminar.com For a full list of receptions, gatherings, and our exciting itinerary of inspirational messages, visit our website: LIFEVisionSeminar.com Questions? Call 678-331-4401 or email LIFEVisionSeminar@LIFE.edu
Tipping
Point
vitalistic practices by the people in our communities. My belief is that this can have a transformative effect on the health and happiness of our world.”
Next Steps R.W. Stephenson, D.C., Ph.C., in “The Chiropractic Textbook” delineated the “33 Principles.” Principle No. 6 states, “There is no process that does not require time.” This has been true for The Octagon. The Octagon has emerged over these past five years as a powerful influence capable of introducing new thinking as well as influencing current thought. From the initial vision of The Octagon articulated by Riekeman to the plans for The Octagon 2014, the potential for The
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Octagon to serve as a vehicle of growth and reflection for the chiropractic community and the broader community has emerged. As a discipline, we have far too few opportunities and far too few settings that allow us to take a step back and to evaluate why, how, where and when we are contributing to the profession and our society in a broader context. We are very good at reactive behavior, but we need to change this circumstance and begin to take control of our destiny and delineate what we would like to see emerge. This is the hope of The Octagon. We need to bring our perspectives to the discussion and we also need the opportunity to initiate those discussions from those perspectives. We know the value to society of
December 2013/January 2014
seeing the world through another’s eyes. We need to bring a view of the world from our eyes to the world. The heavy lifting of an effort like The Octagon involves getting people to share a common vision and to feel safe enough to explore how they interface with that vision. It is like the early days of a garden. It may not look like much other than a patch of dirt, but given the right tending, an adequate amount of resources and time, it soon yields its harvest. The harvest of The Octagon is being realized in the projections of the Institute for Alternative Futures and in the outcomes of each of the previous Octagon conferences (LIFEOctagon.org), and it will continue to be realized with each successive conference and focus of activity.
Tipping
Point
How Chiropractic Can Reach the
Tipping
T
he proverbial “tipping point” was a phrase coined by best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell in his book by the same name. It is that magical point when an idea, product or service goes from a rare phenomenon to an unstoppable movement. Consider smoking on airlines. It used to be that airplanes had a smoking section and a non-smoking section. As we all know, this is a rather ridiculous notion, since everyone is packed in like sardines in a pressurized, air-tight tin can—if there was a smoking section, it meant the entire plane was one big smoking section. But then one airline decided to ban smoking on their airline. It was an innovative concept that soon caught on, and people started demanding non-smoking air travel. Within months, all the other airlines followed suit. It went from an innovative concept to an unstoppable movement because it reached the tipping point. Before you knew it, smoking on all airlines had been banned. Experts agree that we reach a tipping point at about 18 percent. That is, once the idea, product or service is adopted by 18 percent of a culture, in the blink of an eye, it becomes main-
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stream. That is what Chiropractic needs—to reach the tipping point. Depending on who you ask, the percentage of people under regular chiropractic care is anywhere from 1–6 percent. How do we get to 18 percent and beyond? The answer is through social media. The chiropractic profession has never had the funds, the infrastructure or even the cooperation to launch a meaningful, worldwide campaign to share the real message of Chiropractic. Social media solves the first two problems. Social media is essentially free, and the infrastructure is set up for us to connect with millions of people worldwide. Now we need to get together and solve the third issue.
Perfecting the Message One of the great challenges the chiropractic profession faces is to agree on what the message should be. There are so many variations of practice styles, communication styles, terminology, philosophy, techniques and more. That has held us back in years past because chiropractors often felt territorial and would not support a campaign that did not represent their viewpoints
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Point
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exactly. Again, social media and new social media technologies offer a new solution to this old problem. It would be nice to believe that the overwhelming majority of chiropractors can all agree on two things: n Chiropractic is about the recognition and respect that all living organisms contain an innate intelligence to be self-organizing, self-developing and self-healing. n Vertebral subluxations interfere with the body’s ability to function in its optimal state. A chiropractor is trained to identify and correct these subluxations. This is the message that must be clarified and communicated worldwide in order for people to embrace and demand chiropractic care for what it really is and not for what people have perceived it to be in the past, which is most often viewed as a limited service to temporarily relieve musculoskeletal conditions. Today’s social networks and social media technologies allow us to communicate our story with people around the world, for very low cost in real time. For many, this shift in power is a dream come true. No longer can our message be blocked by traditional media outlets that previously acted as gatekeepers. Today, anyone anywhere can create a video or take a photo, and it can spread worldwide instantly.
Taking Chiropractic Viral You’ve probably heard about the “Kony 2012” video that had more than 100 million views within six days, making it the most viral video in history. This wasn’t just a random video that went viral on social media. It was a strategic campaign that took two years of planning in order to achieve its objective. Joseph Kony is a warlord in Africa who is perhaps the world’s worst criminal and mass murderer, and he had been operating in virtual anonymity to the outside world. The maker of “Kony 2012” wanted to make him the most recognizable person on the planet, in the hopes of stopping his atrocities. But the filmmaker didn’t just make his 28-minute video and share it; he spent years creating the network that would allow it to be viewed by more than 100 million people within a week. Chiropractic could also benefit from creating a network, so when we create our videos, graphics and messages, one click can mean the difference between reaching 20,000 and 20 million people or more. Chiropractic’s network is called AmpLIFEied,
18 Today’s Chiropractic leadership
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and it is already taking shape. AmpLIFEied is the brainchild of social media authority Jason Deitch, D.C., and was created with support from Life University. “It’s working,” Deitch says. “In the very first month, AmpLIFEied has more than 1,400 chiropractors, aka AmpLIFEiers, registered. The power of the network resulted in just under 10 million positive chiropractic social media impressions, and it’s just getting started.” The impact of building a network of chiropractors committed to sharing something positive about Chiropractic with their social network every day will impact our profession for years to come. Many believe that the hyper growth of this network of chiropractors using AmpLIFEied’s free innovative social media technology will be what brings Chiropractic to its 18 percent tipping point and beyond.
Get AmpLIFEied How does it work? It’s simple: You sign up, for free, to be part of the AmpLIFEied network. Register at amplifeied.com and connect all your social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Connecting these channels helps maximize the timeliness of your message, as one post on AmpLIFEied gets shared with all of your social media contacts on all of your social media platforms with a single click. When you register to become an AmpLIFEier, you have free access to an extensive library of great chiropractic social media content to be shared with your multiple social media channels with one click. You’ll receive points for sharing and can participate in the AmpLIFEied leaderboard competition to see who will be the loudest AmpLIFEier of the benefits of chiropractic care. New content, such as social media optimized graphics, quotes, videos and more is uploaded to the library daily. Content partners who submit fresh new posts for members to share daily include Life University, International Chiropractors Association, 100 Year Lifestyle, Educated Pregnancy, Arno Burnier, D.C., and more. AmpLIFEiers also receive a daily AmpLIFEied Digest via email that automatically delivers to your inbox a summary of all new submitted posts so you can conveniently share directly from your email. AmpLIFEied has made sharing the message of Chiropractic with your community as simple and easy as could be.
December 2013/January 2014
But here’s the great part: If you don’t agree with a certain post or quote for philosophical or scope of practice reasons, you don’t have to share it. You can select something else from the library of content. It is the goal of AmpLIFEied to generate content that adheres to the two basic tenets of vitalism and detection and correction of the VSC. The larger picture is that the message of Chiropractic is delivered across the network. And once that network grows, the content gets seen by more and more people. Think of reaching the 18 percent tipping point as a three-step process that includes: n Finding or creating great social media optimized messages about Chiropractic. n Posting something great about Chiropractic to your social networks every day. n Building a growing audience of people who ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ your great chiropractic messages with their friends. AmpLIFEied solves steps 1 and 2. The only thing left for chiropractors to put effort into doing is in building their local social networks.
You can leave an iPad or laptop on your front desk and invite people to log in and click “Like” in order to receive your daily dose of inspiration and love or however you want to persuasively describe what someone will receive each day when they connect with you on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. There are endless ways to let people know about the daily gift you want to share with them.
Reaping the Benefits AmpLIFEied benefits both individual chiropractors in growing their impact and practice locally while also benefitting the entire profession by harnessing the collective power of the social network effect. Imagine 20,000 chiropractors each with at least 1,000 people connected to their practice’s social networks who are all committed to posting something great about Chiropractic each and every day. That’s the plan, and it’s simple and doable. Visit amplifeied. com and become an AmpLIFEier. Make the commitment to share something great from AmpLIFEied with your social net-
Clicks by Channel Type
reactions by Channel Type
n Facebook (10,433) n FacebookPage (7,216) n Twitter (2,200) n LinkedIn (635) n Blogger (59) n Tumblr (3)
n Facebook (5,243) n FacebookPage (3,266) n Twitter (146) n LinkedIn (126) n Tumblr (1)
Making It Work “How do I get people to ‘Like’ my practice’s Facebook page?” is one of the most frequently asked questions. The answer is, give them a reason to. AmpLIFEied solves that by providing chiropractors with a rich library of great chiropractic content to share. Now chiropractors can say to patients/clients/members that you are committed to positively impacting as many people as possible in your community to live a healthy, happy life. The way you do that is by sharing something great every day that will some days inspire them, interest them, make them laugh, make them wonder or share with them ideas and solutions to raising a healthy, drug-free family. Then let them know that they can receive your daily posts by visiting your Facebook Page and clicking the ‘Like’ button. You can have a day per week when you request that everyone pull out his or her smart device and “Like” your Facebook page.
works, every day. Grow your social network by inspiring people to click “Like” on your practice’s Facebook page. You’ll be part of the chiropractic social network dedicated to changing the world for the better. Want to be more involved? Then become an AmpLIFEier and invite your colleagues, associations you’re involved in, colleges you attended and coaches or practice management firms to get involved in AmpLIFEying the chiropractic story. AmpLIFEied and the 18 percent campaign are designed to be a profession-wide coalition of chiropractors committed to sharing the message of Chiropractic around the world. It is not exclusive to Life University alumni and friends. It’s an inclusive landmark social media campaign fueled by the passion of the thousands of chiropractors who are dedicated to changing the world for the better. If that includes you, then become an AmpLIFEier today.
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December 2013/January 2014 19
Un Mundo Feliz en Costa Rica
20 Today’s Chiropractic leadership
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December 2013/January 2014
Tipping
Point
From left: LIFE Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. Deborah Pogrelis, LIFE President Dr. Guy Riekeman, Gynette Piva, First Vice President of Costa Rica Dr. Alfio Piva, Universidad Nacional President Ms. Sandra Leon, LIFE Costa Rica Liaison Ms. Nancy Torres
By Craig Dekshenieks
I
n November, Life University signed two landmark agree- first Chiropractic Degree awarded in Costa Rica. ments in Costa Rica that will lay the groundwork for n International exchange of research, students and faculty multiple chiropractic initiatives in the gateway to Central between the colleges. The collaboration allows Costa Rican America. Like all international initiatives sought by Life nationals to come to Life University to study; Life University University, these agreements will allow students to study at UNA in either a study Like all Chiropractic to grow exponentially for abroad scenario or a PEAK opportunity; years to come. LIFE faculty teaching chiropractic sciences international The agreements are the result of more initiatives sought at UNA; UNA faculty coming to LIFE to than 20 years of relationship cultivation by Life University, enhance their knowledge of chiropractic by Life University. A delegation, which in- these agreements sciences in order to return to UNA with cluded LIFE President Dr. Guy Riekeman, more expertise; and case studies and basewill allow Board of Trustees Chairman Deborah line research collaborations among the stuChiropractic Pogrelis, D.C., and Trustee Kevin Fogarty, dents and faculty in both universities. to grow D.C., chairman of the International Comn Establishment of a chiropractic clinic exponentially for at UNA for their students, staff and the mittee, was on hand to witness the historic years to come. occasion. general public to increase awareness and The first agreement is between Life Unito complement the chiropractic education versity and the Universidad Nacional Costa Rica (UNA), one students will receive in the classroom. It is also possible the of the most prestigious colleges in Central America. The agree- clinic could become an international PEAK opportunity for ment calls for the following collaborations between the colleges: late-quarter Life University students seeking this type of handson experience. n Development of chiropractic education within UNA’s Zoila Rosa Stewart, D.C., a LIFE graduate and former OlymSchool of Human Movement Science. This degree will be the
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December 2013/January 2014 21
Tipping
Point
LIFE President Dr. Guy Riekeman signing two landmark agreements in Costa Rica.
pic track star for Costa Rica, will be working with UNA personnel as the process unfolds. The second agreement signed in November was between Life University and the Costa Rican government. The government delegation included representatives from the Costa Rican President’s Office, the Minister of Sport, Minister of Sport and Recreation (ICODER) and the Minister of Health. The agreement includes the following: n Chiropractic care will be available to the federation’s athletes and general public. n Establishment of a Life University Chiropractic Clinic inside the new, state-of-the-art Costa Rica Olympic stadium and training center. This will also serve as a PEAK clinic that provides care to elite level athletes such as Olympians and the Costa Rican National Futbol (soccer) team. Stewart will be heading the operations for this clinic as well. The significance of these landmark agreements is multi-faceted. Perhaps the most important aspect is that Chiropractic is officially being recognized at the government level within the Ministry of Health. If one considers the implications of recognition and partnership at that level, the positive impact is immeasurable: having Chiropractic ingrained into the consciousness of generation upon generation of citizens. John Downes, D.C., director of International Initiatives for Life University, says of the agreements, “This is one example of Dr. Riekeman’s vision to create a sustainable network of partnerships for health care and chiropractic education around the world.” With similar initiatives underway in more than 40
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countries, LIFE is committed to establishing worldwide access to chiropractic care and a chiropractic education for anyone who wants it. Historically, the profession’s international efforts have centered on limited-scope mission trips to provide chiropractic care in underdeveloped areas. While these missions are noteworthy and admirable, unfortunately they are not sustainable. Says Riekeman, “If our profession is to flourish outside of North America, we need to work at the government level in order to establish guidelines for things like scope of care, educational requirements and accreditation, as well as licensing for doctors.” Those things require a commitment of time, resources and leadership to accomplish. Patience is also paramount since governments can change every few years. What makes Costa Rica so significant as a starting point is its high education and literacy rate—the highest in Central and South America. Costa Rica is oftentimes referred to as the educational capital of Central America and is a leader in the region for modernization and progress. Says Riekeman, “It’s a privilege to work with the Costa Rican government and the Universidad Nacional as we move forward to truly improving health and wellness in Costa Rica.” These developments in Costa Rica took more than 20 years to establish. Life University is committed to at least another 20 years to keep the programs moving forward so that a generation from now, Chiropractic will be sustainable for eternity. This should serve as a blueprint for initiatives in other parts of the world.
December 2013/January 2014
For Chiropractors. By Chiropractors.
“As a chiropractor I am always looking for the most cost effective, cutting edge systems to promote and educate my community and practice on the benefits and value of chiropractic. AmpLIFEied has been essential for getting my message out.” - Dr. Matthew Hubbard, D.C. President of the California Chiropractic Association “AmpLIFEied has successfully created a community focused on leveraging social media to broadcast the chiropractic story. I’m all in. are you?” - Erik Van Slooten, D.C. Founder, Talk the ‘TIC
Life University
September 2, 2010
General Information
Location: MArietta, GA
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NOTE: These logos are registered trademarks of Life University. © 2010
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Share great stuff created by: Life University’s 18 Percent Campaign n International Chiropractors Association n The 100 Year Lifestyle n Educated Pregnancy n Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) n Life University’s Kid Natural Video Series (coming soon) n
Become an AmpLIFEier today – go to AmpLIFEied.com
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LIFE University LIFE University College of Chiropractic LIFE University College of Undergraduate Studies LIFE University College of Graduate Studies
AmpLIFEied is the chiropractic profession’s number one source of great social media content to share with your practice’s social networks, daily. When you register to become an AmpLIFEier, you’ll receive free access to the profession’s premier social media content library with exclusive content provided by our profession’s most prominent and passionate organizations, associations and institutions.
it’s my
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LIFE
it’s my
LIFE
As a companion to the “It’s My LIFE” video series, we profile people who are living the philosophy, not just talking about it—people who are doing things of inspiration and passion, causing Chiropractic to thrive. Find out more at Videos.LIFE.edu/video/thisismylife.
Sprinting Toward Success By Laura Newsome
W
hen Zoila Stewart began running in 1984, she had no idea her newfound talent would take her to the biggest athletic stadiums in the world. At the time, Stewart’s sister Maureen, three years her senior, was already training her way to the 800-meter competition at the 1988 Olympics. “I started running in high school because my sister was a well-known athlete back then,” says Stewart, “but it didn’t really become my passion until about 1988, when I was winning a lot.” When she realized she had an uncommon talent and a versatility unmatched by even her famous sister, Stewart ran thousands of laps on the track, counting splits, practicing turns and refining her running style down to an efficiency necessary for a sport where every millisecond counts. She also spent hours in the gym,
building lightning-quick reflexes and the kind of muscles that compel explosive speed. Soon she was competing all over the Caribbean and taking home titles
Through her close connection to Life University, Stewart earned an athletic scholarship and it didn’t take long for her to decide that Chiropractic would become her future. at the Central American Games. And though she didn’t see its significance at the time, Stewart first set foot on American soil in Atlanta, on her way to the 1987
Pan American Games in Indianapolis, where she was among 4,300 athletes from more than 38 countries. Her first Olympic opportunity arrived in 1992, when she made the trek to Barcelona at the age of 23. “The Olympics in 1992 was very special for me because I got to represent my whole country, and I felt I had a mission and was there to accomplish it,” says Stewart. “I cannot even describe in words what that Games represent for me.” Competing in the 100 meters and the 200 meters, Stewart also made it to the quarterfinals of the 400 meters, where she finished 26th among 53 of the world’s best runners. Such feats of strength were remarkable for a girl from Costa Rica who received almost no backing from her home country. “Things have changed now, but back then my country wasn’t really supporting its athletes,” she says. “Back home, I
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it’s my
LIFE
had just the bare minimum and there were no synthetic tracks in my country. Now Costa Rica is really supporting its athletes, and they are doing well. I’m glad I was able to open the road so they would not have to face what I faced.” At the age of 27, Stewart earned another chance at Olympic competition—this time at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. “I got injured four months before the Atlanta Olympics, so I was not in a good place to be able to compete, and I felt I was headed for disappointment,” says Stewart, who was nursing a knee injury at the time. Desperate not to lose her opportunity, Stewart’s coach sought the help of John Downes, D.C., of Life University, who had been appointed the team’s official Doctor of Chiropractic by the Costa Rican Olympic Committee. “Dr. Downes treated my leg before and after workouts and told me things would get worse before they got better,” she says. “After three very painful days, I got better and was able to compete at the Olympics.” Despite her injury and her advanced age by running standards, Stewart scored the second-best time in the history of her career—52.66 seconds for the 400 meters, just a fraction off her personal best time of 52.57, recorded at the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games. Stewart’s impressive level of competition was not LIFE’s only connection to the 1996 Olympics. Prior to the start of the Games, Life University president Dr. Sid Williams oversaw the completion of a new training facility on campus that boasted an exact replica of the Olympic track. The University hosted the 1995 and 1996 International Track & Field Challenges,
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Qui ipsanis eostior emolupti ipis sum sunt parum corumquatur, quatius volo beriberiam et as quid quam fugit fuga. —Name Name, D.C.
launching a life Stewart credits Life University for her success on and off the track.
which featured more than 1,000 athletes. Many of those athletes went on to medal in the Olympics. At the conclusion of the Games, Williams purchased one of the seven Olympic sculptures that had been commissioned by the organizing committee and had it installed on campus. The city and LIFE’s commitment to the spirit of the Games ultimately convinced Stewart to stay in Atlanta. “While I was training I absolutely fell in love with Atlanta—it was the first place I ever landed in the States,” adds Stewart. Through her close connection to Life University, Stewart earned an athletic scholarship, and it didn’t take long for her to decide that Chiropractic would become her future. “I got a scholarship from the school, and as I
December 2013/January 2014
learned what Chiropractic was all about and how it had helped me in competition, I decided to move to Atlanta in 1997.” When she wasn’t studying on campus, Stewart was on the track, earning every penny of her athletic scholarship from LIFE. In 1997 and 1998, Stewart was named an alltime individual champion for her outstanding performances in the 400-meter dash at the Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. Smashing long-held school records, everywhere she went Stewart earned trophies, accolades and firstplace finishes. In 1997, Stewart propelled Life University to a fourthplace finish at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships in Lincoln, Neb. Named the meet’s “Outstanding Female Athlete,” Stewart won the 400and 800-meter events, finished fourth in the 200-meter dash and anchored the winning 4x400 relay team. In her home country of Costa Rica, Stewart remains the outdoor record holder in the 100 meters and the 400 meters, and the indoor record holder for her 200-meter and 400-meter championship runs in 1998 and 1999 at the Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Championships. Standing five feet, five inches tall, with a wide smile and a warm accent, it’s hard to envision the dominance Stewart displayed on the tracks she called home during an illustrious running career lasting more than a decade. It is perhaps telling that Stewart’s best race, the 400-meter dash, is considered one of the most difficult races in the sport. The longest sprint in track and field, the 400-meter dash tests short and long muscle fibers alike, daring runners to possess a pow-
it’s my
LIFE
erful sprinting speed and the strength to endure—even when every muscle in the body is starved for oxygen and begging for a break. “It’s a sprint and an endurance event, and it definitely requires the best of you,” says Stewart with a laugh. “You don’t have to go all out, but that last 100 meters tests your character, your training, your mental strength and your motivation.”
treatment,” she says. “Chiropractic has the ability to turn the power on and let the body do what it does best. In both Chiropractic and running you are aiming for 100 percent efficiency and trying to keep yourself and your body in shape. I’m not training anymore, but in my profession, I want to keep moving forward and reach for that master’s level.”
Gifted with a kind of no-limits work ethic in even the most difficult situations, Stewart has been able to succeed off the track as both a chiropractic student and a doctor. Though she sees patients of all types at One Touch Chiropractic in Marietta, Stewart’s athletic background and intimate knowledge of musculature, training regimens and sports injuries is an invaluable asset to athletic patients of all levels. Though today she works with the body in an entirely different way, for Stewart, the worlds of Chiropractic and running are never far apart. “When you are running you are training to be the best you can possibly be, and as a chiropractor, I am trying to provide the best possible
Since the 1996 Olympics, Life University has led the way in bringing chiropractic care and chiropractic-friendly legislation to Costa Rica. That same year, the Costa Rica Olympic Committee asked Life Foundation to establish a 4,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art chiropractic clinic for their athletes in San Jose. Life University also provided care for Costa Rican athletes at the 1999 Pan American Games in Canada and the Sydney Olympics in 2000. The school has also opened its doors to other Costa Rican scholar athletes like Pablo Nassar and Alejandra Rodrigues Perez. “Chiropractic is growing a lot in my home country,” says Stewart. “We are
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not very medically oriented, so we respond well to holistic care. I am part of a wave of Costa Rican chiropractic graduates who trained at LIFE, and we believe our mission is to spread Chiropractic around the world. At Life University I learned the principles, ‘To Give, To Do, To Love, To Serve,’ and I want to give back what they gave to me by opening a clinic in Costa Rica.” With her move to Costa Rica planned for early 2014, Stewart is “crossing her fingers,” watching the progress of her new clinic and counting down the months until she returns to her roots and her family. “I am happy to finally go home to run my own clinic with the help of Life University,” says Stewart. “My dream is coming true, and I am more than excited. All my family is there, and it will mean so much to be with them again.” After more than 15 years in Atlanta, Stewart can’t help but ponder the memories and the relationships she’ll be leaving behind in her adopted city. “I just love the city and I love the people. I love the weather—even the humidity, which other people complain about.” To hear her talk about her love for Atlanta, one might be puzzled as to why she is moving away, but when asked about her home country of Costa Rica, Stewart pauses and a wistful, far-off tone settles into her voice and you can almost hear the smile spreading across her face. “I love everything about it,” she muses. “The people, the food is amazing, the diversity of the wildlife, the sunlight, the beaches, the tree canopy, the rafting.” As she elaborates about the “breezy, beautiful spring season,” it’s hard not to get wrapped up in her dream, to be transported across the ocean to the paradise where she won her first race—a place where she hopes to combine her strong, competitive spirit with the seeds of chiropractic revolution.
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Living a Full and Wonderful LIFE: Sandy Elbaum, D.C. By Kelsey Donaldson
A
s Sandy Elbaum, D.C., entered the doors of Life University to begin the DC program, the New York native was keenly aware that she was the only one in her class to have never been adjusted. Just six months prior, the single mother was waiting tables in Buckhead, desperately trying to finish her undergraduate degree, attend medical school and follow in the footsteps of her family. “I grew up in a medical [family]: my mother, a nurse, and my uncle, a doctor,” remembers Sandy. “I always had an underlying idea that drugs weren’t good; nevertheless, I still wanted to be a doctor.” So imagine her surprise when a friendly conversation with a group of young men seated in her section opened the door to Chiropractic. Before that moment, Sandy had
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never heard of Chiropractic, but she took a leap of faith and a visit to Marietta. As fate would have it, while following one dream, she would discover her true calling. “I immediately fell in love with LIFE and knew it was where I was supposed to be,” recalls Sandy. “They say Chiropractic chooses you, and it just plucked me right out!” Upon graduating from LIFE, she and her husband and fellow chiropractor, Adam Elbaum, D.C., put down roots in Virginia. Immediately, Sandy immersed herself in opportunities to serve the profession. Thus began a long and fruitful journey with the Virginia Society of Chiropractic (VSC). Sandy served on the VSC Board of Directors for 20 years, including two terms as its first female president. During her tenure, she served every position available and
December 2013/January 2014
Far left: Elbaum and her daughter Abbi, a current Life University student, at a recent LIFE Leadership Weekend. This page: Elbaum (far right) enjoys the pageantry of the collegiate rugby championship with Kathi Handt (middle, bottom) and LIFE staff.
“I think the fact that my children want to attend LIFE resonates the quality of life we have had as chiropractors. Chiropractic is more than a career; it has given me my husband, my children and my full and wonderful life.” —Sandy Elbaum, D.C.
was twice honored as “Chiropractor of the Year.” Recently, Sandy has expanded her leadership role beyond the profession and into her community and the University. She benevolently lends her support through the President’s Circle, which brings talented and dedicated individuals together to help advance Chiropractic and recruit and train future chiropractors. “President’s Circle is there to help do the little things that tuition doesn’t cover, while helping to continue to attract the best students and put them back as the best chiropractors,” reflects Sandy. “It serves a great purpose to get young people excited.” Sandy’s excitement is truly contagious, as she actively participates in a number of other leadership programs at LIFE including LIFEforce1000, PEAK and State Reps. “My biggest pet peeve is when people ask, ‘What’s in
it for me?’” explains Sandy on the importance of giving back and serving in leadership roles. “I give and then I get in return. There are lots of ways to give back, and I give through the University. You owe it to the profession and to yourself.” Sandy undoubtedly embodies the spirit of a true leader, dedicated to the advancement of Chiropractic and LIFE. The passionate mother of four and grandmother of two recently had the honor of watching her daughter, Abbi, begin at LIFE this past fall and will watch her son, Andrew, begin in the next year. “I think the fact that my children want to attend LIFE resonates the quality of life we have had as chiropractors,” says Sandy. “Chiropractic is more than a career; it has given me my husband, my children and my full and wonderful life.”
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upcoming events JANUARY 9–11 Parker Seminar Las Vegas Hilton (Las Vegas)
13 One for LIFE Miami, FL
14 One for LIFE Jacksonville, FL
15 One for LIFE Orlando, FL
23 Real World: DCs Carl Amodio, D.C. (Roswell, GA)
24–26 USA Sevens Rugby Tournament Sam Boyd Stadium (Las Vegas)
31–2/1 LIFE Vision Seminar Cobb Galleria (Atlanta)
31–2/1 LIFE Leadership Weekend Life University campus (Marietta, GA)
8 Puerto Rico CE & Alumni Trip Puerto Rico
22 NAIA Regional Wrestling Qualifiers Life University campus (Marietta, GA)
28 Massachusetts Alumni & Friends After Hours Linda and Jean-Mark Slak, D.C.s (Burlington, MA)
7–9 Association of Independent Associations Basketball Tournament Life University campus (Marietta, GA)
28–30 North Carolina Chiropractic Association Omni Grove Park Inn (Asheville, NC)
FEBRUARY 2 Georgia Intercollegiate Wrestling Tournament Life University campus (Marietta, GA)
28–3/2 Cal Jam Costa Mesa, CA
MARCH 4 Arizona Alumni & Friends After Hours Neuromechanical Innovations (Chandler, AZ)
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EngageInspireTransform
LIFEforce 1000 is a group of 1000 dynamic Chiropractors who have committed to Changing the World.
LIFEforce 1000 will not stop until we have established worldwide access to Chiropractic and a Chiropractic education for anyone who wants it.
We are limiting our partnership to 1,000 Chiropractors. To become a LIFEforce 1000 Insider go to www.LIFE.edu/LIFEforce1000
Join Us for a LIFEforce 1000 Insiders’ Weekend! All LIFEforce 1000 Insiders are welcome to attend! Please register on our website.
Upcoming Dates: January 30 - February 1, 2014 April 10-12, 2014 July 24-26, 2014 October 16-18, 2014
TIC
connect-
The world is full of thought leaders outside the profession who think like we think. By connecting with one another, we can both go further.
Telling Chiropractic’s Story By Gwyn Herbein
M
ost DCs are well versed in the historical version of Chiropractic’s origins, from its use in ancient Greece to the more organized profession that came about in 1895, courtesy of D.D. Palmer. However, those same DCs may not know how to translate history into a compelling story that can be passed from person to person in order to push Chiropractic to the 18 percent tipping point. As a way to formalize, internalize and spread Chiropractic’s story, Life University has followed the lead of entrepreneur, blogger and speaker Seth Godin. Godin’s work has long emphasized the need to market ideas to like-minded people and use those tribes to build commu-
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TIC
connect-
nities that are striving for the same goal. The way that LIFE is using Godin’s ideas has forever changed the way the world looks at Chiropractic.
Beginning a Movement Mount Vernon, N.Y., native Godin graduated from Tufts University and earned his MBA at Stanford. He entered the software industry in the early 1980s before using his savings to found a book packaging business in his New York apartment. In 1995, he sold that business and founded Yoyodyne, a pioneering online marketing company that used gimmicks like contests and scavenger hunts to market its companies. Three years later, Godin sold the company to Yahoo and took a position as the president of direct marketing with the Internet giant. While Godin certainly has a gold track record in the business world, it is his unique approach to marketing that appealed to many at Life University. In 2007, he gave a TED talk that changed the way LIFE thought about its marketing strategy. Godin describes what he calls “the TV-industrial complex,” in which marketers buy ads that interrupt people’s daily lives with products, and then use the profits to buy more ad space. The problem with this strategy, Godin notes, is that “consumers don’t care about
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you at all. Part of the reason is they’ve got way more choices than they used to and way less time.” It is easy for consumers to ignore information about products they don’t need or want. According to Godin, only products that are remarkable—that is, worthy of actually making remarks about—are going to be talked about, purchased by consumers and then recommended to others. Godin’s recommended marketing strategy boils down to two simple points: sell to people who are listening, and realize that what is safe is risky. The second piece of Godin’s marketing puzzle fell into place in 2009 with another TED talk entitled “The tribes we lead.” “What tribes are is a very simple concept that goes back 50,000 years,” he explains. “It’s about leading and connecting people and ideas.” Godin describes how the explosion of the Internet and mass media, media originally intended to homogenize people worldwide, have instead created silos of interests. People are used to family tribes, work tribes, spiritual tribes and other organized groups, but can now branch out to connect with people who have nothing in common except for one interest or passion. Tribes can have a unique appeal to marketers, assuming they can let go of the mass marketing idea that requires a person in charge telling others what to do or what to buy and instead focus
December 2013/January 2014
on a leadership model. Most of all, Godin says, letting go of the idea that everyone has to buy into your idea is paramount. “You don’t need everyone,” he says. “You just need 1,000 true fans. One thousand people who care enough that they will get you the next round,” by repeating your story to their friends, who will go on to tell their friends. Above all, Godin emphasizes finding the true believers.
the world thinks about Chiropractic. The first is simple. “Tell your story,” she says. “So what is our story? It’s simple really. The body is self-developing, self-healing and self-maintaining. The nervous system controls function. Interference to the nervous system produces malfunction, resulting in symptoms and dis-eases. This interference is called subluxation. Chiropractors correct subluxations, restoring function, to allow for the expression of the perfection within.”
Applying Tribes to LIFE On the surface, this novel way of marketing does not apply to Connecting the Dots DCs who are not selling products. But the thought leaders at Once the story has been told, tribes of like-minded individuals Life University saw things differently. After all, the philosophy need to be connected in order to perpetuate the story. Haag that is pushing Chiropractic to the tipping point requires just says these individuals are your practice members who already as much buy-in as any product you might believe what you believe, and using social give to your family. “With social media, media is the best way to leverage those it’s no longer about buying customers,” connections. “So the first step is to make explains Kathryn Haag, D.C., director of a Facebook page for your office and inthought leadership strategy at LIFE. “Invite every practice member to ‘Like’ your stead of trying to argue your point with page,” she says. The strategy LIFE uses is people who don’t believe what you believe, all about connection. “We’re connecting you go out and find people who already a tribe of chiropractors,” says Haag. “The believe what you believe and use leaders to individual DC in practice … needs to look connect.” Haag initially applied Godin’s at his or her practice and find the model tribes idea as the director of LIFEforce. “We patients. Make them the first followers of were taking 1,000 DCs who believe what we this tribe. It’s about treating people like believe, and they’re not going to stop until equals.” Haag notes that Riekeman often the world has Chiropractic,” she says. As a “Instead of trying recommends picking five or 10 patients and to argue your result, LIFEforce became LIFEforce 1000 to inviting them to seminars or other events point with people reflect the shift in the group’s strategy. in an effort to nurture them to tell the ChiWhen that change was made, Guy Riekewho don’t believe ropractic story. “After all,” she says. “DCs man, D.C., president of Life University inknow that their best patients are referrals what you believe, vited members of the chiropractic comfrom other people.” you go out and munity, including representatives from Those referrals help perpetuate a cycle find people who other chiropractic schools, to introduce that can only result in meaningful change. already believe the LIFEforce 1000 concept. From this, Life The key, says Haag, is to not care about what you believe Chiropractic College West and Sherman the people who believe differently than and use leaders College of Chiropractic have created simiyou. “Who cares what MDs believe?” she to connect.” lar initiatives on their campuses. LIFEforce says. “By creating a community of people —Kathryn Haag, D.C. dedicated to sharing the message of Chi1000 doctors now work in 25 countries around the world, including Costa Rica, ropractic with others, every day, that 18 Iceland, Israel, Scotland and Puerto Rico, among others. LIFE- percent is within reach.” force 1000 and the strategy behind it have also been responsible LIFE is using the best of Godin’s marketing strategies to for a substantial bump in LIFE’s enrollment, more than dou- further the Chiropractic agenda worldwide, and it seems to bling it from 2011 to 2012. This also helps spread the profession be working. Getting the profession to the tipping point means worldwide. acknowledging the goals from the outset and implementing All of these facts point to the idea that the shift in the way a strategy that speaks to those goals. “We’re never going to be LIFE markets both itself and Chiropractic as a whole have able to compete commercially with big pharma—we don’t have fundamentally changed the way the world thinks about the pro- the funds and resources to do that,” says Haag. “But Godin says fession. But this is only part of the puzzle. As Haag points out, you don’t have to spend billions of dollars advertising if you just there are four components to making a lasting change in the way connect.”
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fresh air
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Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you’ll be criticized anyway. —Eleanor Roosevelt
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what
If ?
Imaging what would happen if the entire world experienced Chiropractic or if unwanted philosophies or practices find their way into the profession. How does our worldview change when we consider both the positives and the negatives?
The Safety Question and Pediatric Chiropractic By Gerry Clum, D.C., and Drew Rubin, D.C.
I
n September 2013, reports of an infant suffering a fractured second cervical vertebra at the hands of a Melbourne chiropractor f looded the airwaves in Australia. These reports subsequently made their way forward as Internet posts that reached around the globe. By early October, more was known about the alleged injury. It appeared that the infant had a cervical spine malformation (congenital spondylolysis) that was reported to be similar to, or exactly the same as, a malformation found in the child’s father. The Australian reported on Oct. 16, “An expert report undertaken by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, a federal body set up to replace state-based health regulators, quoted a radiologist who examined the
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4-month-old baby and found that there was ‘no evidence of fracture.’” The Chiropractor’s Association of Australia (CAA) expressed outrage over the
Perhaps we should look at the issue of the safety of chiropractic care, especially as it relates to children. shoddy reporting and fear mongering among the media who ran with the inaccurate story. The CAA called for a retraction, a correction and an apology for the
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errant reporting. In similar fashion, the New Zealand Chiropractor’s Association advised its members and the public of the incorrect and substandard reporting from across the Tasman Sea in Australia. In this age of instantaneous global communication, the harm brought to the consumer public as well as to the reputation of the chiropractic profession will not be contained to Australia, New Zealand and their environs. As a result, we all need to be familiar with the details of this matter and prepared to address it wherever and whenever it arises. While we are getting caught up on the details of the Melbourne C2 matter, perhaps we should look at the issue of the safety of chiropractic care, especially as it relates to children and the mood and mentality that underpin these types of
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If ?
sensationalized reports. A 2007 study by Vohra et al. examined the past half-century, finding that there have been seven articles addressing serious complications in spinal manipulation of infants and children worldwide. These reports have come from Germany, France, Canada and the United States. The care providers were identified as physiotherapists, medical doctors, unspecified providers and chiropractors. The patients presented with complicating factors including congenital torticollis,
tients but also on osteopathic patients. He notes, “There are now three reports in the literature regarding prevalence or rates of adverse events associated with pediatric manipulative therapy as well as a recent systematic review of manual therapy.” In this report, Humphreys relates: n Hayes and Bezilla found that 9 percent of pediatric patients experienced an aggravation of their symptoms after Osteopathic SMT, none of which were serious complications;
an astrocytoma, pneumonia and trauma. Seven isolated reports from four countries involving at least four different types of practitioners may be cautionary, but it is far from a pattern of harm. In 2010, Humphreys, a co-author with Vohra in 2007, published a review of adverse events among children who were treated with “manual therapy” from 2004 to 2010. In this analysis, Humphreys reported not only on chiropractic pa-
n Miller and Benfield reported one in 100 patients, or a 1 percent rate; n Alcantara et al. reported one in 1,812 patients, or a 0.53 percent rate for adverse events. None of the studies reported any serious adverse events. The adverse events that did occur involved mild signs or symptoms that were transient and required no specific intervention. While any adverse event is unfortunate
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and may be tragic, the circumstance remains that the literature over the past six decades offers isolated cases of concern and, over the past two decades, offers no cases to support the level of concern about the safety of chiropractic care for children reflected in recent publications and statements. Consider other data sets, such as the experience of professional liability carriers. The National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company (NCMIC) provides professional liability coverage for more than 40,000 DCs. NCMIC has provided feedback in response to an inquiry about the number of claims involving chiropractic patients less than 2 years of age. They indicate that claims involving patients in this category represent 0.01 percent of the allegations against chiropractors. Appreciating that in the chiropractic professional liability environment, more than half of all claims do not result in any award or any judgment against the chiropractor, the significance of 0.01 percent of claims becomes even less a source of concern, let alone fear. So if the scientific literature of the past 20 years holds little, if anything, to generate concern, and if the loss data of the profession’s largest and oldest professional liability carrier does not reflect experiences to generate concern, where does the concern come from? Over the years there have been a number of news stories addressing DCs and the care they provide for children. It is worth reviewing a few of these stories through the lens of time and perspective. On March 18, 1993, the Wall Street Journal (apparently a worldwide source for healthcare information) carried a
what
If ?
front-page story relating the experiences of two children suffering from middleear infections. The chiropractor accurately diagnosed the problem and eschewed the use of antibiotics in favor of a watchful-waiting stance. The two children did develop complications. For this, the WSJ raked the chiropractor and the profession over the coals. Today the behavior of the chiropractor so criticized in 1993—that is, antibiotic avoidance and watchful-waiting—is now the standard of care across primary care medicine for addressing these problems. The WSJ included a reference to a 1992 incident in which an infant was brought to a chiropractor for congenital torticollis. The child was adjusted twice. Unfortunately, the child was experiencing a spinal cord tumor and the adjustments involved were thought to have complicated the circumstance of the tumor. Curiously, little attention was paid to the fact that the child’s pediatrician had failed to appreciate the tumor potential in the management of the child. In 1994, the late Larry Webster, D.C., considered to be the grandfather of modern chiropractic pediatrics, was interviewed on the ABC news show “20/20,” in a segment aptly titled “Handle with Care.” In that segment, a child with a supposed ear infection was brought to 17 different chiropractors while a crew secretly filmed each encounter. Most of the chiropractors advocated caution with respect to antibiotics and a careful period of observation and monitoring of the child—today’s preferred course of care! Webster’s comments were flawless, but the shrewd reporter did some creative editing and discredited most of the chiropractor’s work. In August 1996, New York Family magazine carried a cover story entitled “Is Chiropractic Care Good for Kids?” Beginning with the story of a child being prepped for tympanostomy tubes who was cared for by a chiropractor and subsequently was able to forgo the surgery,
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the article did not cite a single complication of chiropractic care other than the 1992 congenital torticollis/tumor patient noted above. Even with the very limited number of problem cases, the chiropractic profession heard the concerns expressed. In 2007, a steering committee of practicing chiropractors, medical doctors, naturopaths, preventive medicine special-
The concern here is not the professional future of medical doctors, chiropractors or any other discipline. The concern is for those who will suffer, who will undergo unnecessary procedures and will be subjected to lifetimes of drug use because an idea did not fit their paradigm of what is health care, what is powerful and what is helpful. ists and epidemiologists was convened to help develop best practice recommendations for chiropractic care of infants, children and adolescents. The findings published in October 2009 by Hawk et al. in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reflected a series of more than 50 statements for which consensus had been achieved with respect to the care of infants, children and adolescents by chiropractors. In a comparative sense, there isn’t
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a single health care discipline that wouldn’t be thrilled to have the paucity of adverse outcomes that are associated with chiropractic care and children. That being said, the goal of every chiropractor is to make sure that the care offered over the next 20 or 50 years is safer and more clinically effective than any care offered in the past. The Australian misrepresentation of chiropractic care and children that began this article illustrates the impact in the marketplace of using the circumstances of a supposedly injured child to inflame the public, press and government. It is also a surrogate for a deeper and more profound circumstance in our society—the loss of the hold of medicine on the hearts and minds of the consumer public. The attempts by those opposed to anything and everything outside of conventional medical care to characterize non-conventional, alternative or non-allopathic care as flawed by definition is failing day by day and patient by patient. The concern here is not the professional future of medical doctors, chiropractors or any other discipline. The concern is for those who will suffer, who will undergo unnecessary procedures and will be subjected to lifetimes of drug use because an idea did not fit their paradigm of what is health care, what is powerful and what is helpful. The citizenry did not wake up this morning and articulate this angst, but it is there as surely as the sunrise. They are gravitating toward healthcare approaches and strategies that reflect their worldview, and they are seeking partnership rather than patriarchy in addressing their needs. It is this role, as a partner, that has been the hallmark of the chiropractor regardless of his or her specific approach to care. Bottom line: We seek to provide the safest, most effective care we can to each and every patient we see—regardless of his or her age!
so much depends
on that very first adjustment Comi
Atlanng to Sign u ta! pf outs or ICPA’s
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pedia tanding tric cl asses
We bring together philosophy, science and art in all of our endeavors. Your dues support vital research and unprecedented public advertising. Our active referral directory brings these families to you.
Serve the children. Grow your practice. Change the world!
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All ICPA members receive a complimentary subscription to Pathways to Family Wellness and free community outreach opportunities. pathwaystofamilywellness.org
NOV. 13–16, 2014 IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
what
If ?
The Science, Art, Philosophy and Business of Chiropractic By Craig Dekshenieks
Y
ou received your undergraduate degree in a science discipline in order to have your prerequisites for chiropractic school. You blitzed through chiropractic school, took your boards and then set off to change the world one adjustment at a time. But what do you know about business, accounting, real estate or insurance? Shouldn’t your chiropractic education also include business training? At Life University, we believe it must. Life University provides more hours in practice management and business success than any other Doctor of Chiropractic program in the world. LIFE doesn’t just offer this
training; it is required as part of the curriculum in the Doctor of Chiropractic program. To this end, students are exposed to the chiropractic industry’s foremost experts on practice management and finance. Our business curriculum is designed and taught by DCs with a proven track record of practice and business success. Students are also exposed to a variety of practice management coaches, and while LIFE does not endorse a specific management program, exposing students to the myriad options allows them to select one that matches their style and goals for success. The instructors include:
Dr. Ralph Davis
Dr. B.J. Harman
Garrett Gunderson
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Dr. Janice Hughes
n Guy Riekeman, D.C. – President of Life University, a successful former chiropractor and practice management consultant. n Ralph Davis, D.C. – Dean of the College of Chiropractic at Life University and former owner of two successful practices, as well as former director of the Life University outpatient clinic which administers more than 60,000 patient-visits annually. n Janice Hughes, D.C. – Owner of 2Inspire consulting firm that provides expertise in business building and growth, scalability and new product development. Dr. Tom Preston n Tom Preston, D.C. – Owner of Full Circle Coaching and Consulting, which specializes in creating a system for success based on individual strengths and talents, as opposed to a “one-size-fits-all” approach. n Brian Rutecki, D.C. – Founding partner of ChiroOne, one of the largest chains of chiropractic clinics in the nation. n B.J. Harman, D.C. – founder of Now You Know, a pioneering firm in website and Internet marketing for chiropractors. n Garrett Gunderson – The New York Times best-selling author and financial expert who instructs a personal finance course. Dr. Guy Riekeman Individuals pay thousands of dollars to attend seminars and workshops with the individuals and companies these people represent. Life University provides this information and expertise as part of the curriculum. In offering a wide array of perspectives, students can follow the path that best fits their personality, style and goals in the profession. This business training does not confine itself to the Life University campus. Students are supported and encouraged to attend off-campus seminars to further their education. In addition to the business curriculum, Life University’s clinic programs and PEAK intern/externship program allow students the opportunity to Dr. Brian Rutecki spend three months working in an actual chiropractic office, not just to hone their clinical skills, but also to see the inner workings of a successful practice. Support and training do not stop when a student graduates either. LIFE’s Career Services department maintains a job posting board that currently has more than 1,200 opportunities for soon-to-be and recent graduates. Career Services also offers workshops on resume building, letter writing and interviewing skills—services that are offered in perpetuity, long after graduation. As the largest chiropractic college in the world, it is our duty to ensure the long-term success of our graduates. For that reason, Life University is committed to providing the most comprehensive and practical business training for its students.
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we’ve known
All Along
by rebecca koch
I We’ve Known All Along—When it comes to health and wellness, Chiropractic is ahead of the curve on many topics. We take this opportunity to share some of the knowledge we have gained, that the rest of the world is finally catching on to.
f you’ve ever been accused of being a navel gazer, it’s likely that it wasn’t a compliment, at least in Western culture. However, since our belly buttons are the lingering vestige of our last physical connection to our mothers and a symbol for our connectedness to the cosmos in Eastern culture, our navels may really be worthy of deep contemplation after all. Thankfully, the medical establishment has begun to think so, too. And, to continue the belly button metaphor, I’m going to propose that, when it comes to viewpoints, the medical establishment has an outie and the vital health community has an innie. According to recent headlines,1 the historical, widely utilized and deeply entrenched obstetric practice of immediately clamping and cutting the umbilical cord is being called into question. What we may also want to question is why the practice of immediately severing the last connection transferring the stuff of life between mother and baby ever began in the first place. And, if we conclude that it was never a good idea to begin with, how we can identify and correct similar institutionally entrenched interferences to the expression of health? There’s no real way to know, but it’s a good bet the practice of immediately clamping and cutting the cord began as a matter of convenience for the doctors (men) who took over the practice of delivering babies and who also thought it was easier (for them) if women gave birth on their backs. This is not to let midwives (women) off the hook for any part they may have played in the practice of immediate clamping; it probably helped them cut down on the laundry they had to do. As for a scientific basis, the medical literature confirms that immediate clamping is a potentially life-saving benefit in a very small number (about 0.5 percent) of births, in cases such as placenta previa.2 So, was making immediate clamping a standard practice ever a good idea in the first place? It’s not looking good. Here are the advantages 1. *E.g., Natural News, May 31, 2013; Daily Mail, July 10, 2013; The Week, August 2, 2013 2. Timing of umbilical cord clamping after birth. Committee Opinion No. 543. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol 2012;120:1522 6.
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that babies who are NOT immediately clamped appear to have: n Increased blood volume; n Reduced need for blood transfusion; n Decreased incidence of intracranial hemorrhage in preterm infants; n Lower frequency of iron deficiency anemia in term infants.2 That means a vital health-consistent practice of delaying clamping (or perhaps of not clamping at all) results in improved oxygen transport and red blood cell flow [for full term babies], and in premature infants, it is associated with fewer days on oxygen and ventilation.3 How can we prevent these sorts of institutional errors from negatively impacting optimal health and well-being in the future? We must become a society that is willing to fundamentally question and reject the current institutionalized outie status quo of the healthcare system, which often assumes the worst. Unfortunately, what may be beneficial in the worst-case scenario is likely to be detrimental when it becomes standard practice in the typical scenario. In other words, things go awry when you insist on making the exception the rule. On the other hand, a vital health innie viewpoint assumes that life fundamentally knows what it’s doing and that it’s really good at perpetuating and protecting itself. Midwives and chiropractors and their clients have known this all along. Their viewpoint assumes the best, and they’ve created practices that support, rather than seek to circumvent, nature’s design for the healthy expression of life. By moving toward the viewpoint that good health is the natural outcome of life expressing itself, we assume that nature has its own timetable for umbilical separation and that of course babies will benefit from a lingering connection to their mothers. By developing and applying practices derived from a vital health viewpoint, we begin to ensure that the 99.5 percent of children who are born without life-threatening complications have the right to be vitally healthy from birth. 3. Historical perspectives on umbilical cord clamping and neonatal transition. J R Soc Med 2012; 105: 325
LIFE UNIVERSITY: COLLEGE OF CHIROPRACTIC
A LIFE Leadership Weekend is no ordinary campus tour... You get to Atlanta and we’ll take it from there!
“My LIFE Leadership Weekend experience was life-changing! Not only did I get to talk with students and faculty, I also met other Pre-D.C. students just like me, who shared my passion for health and for helping people. The weekend taught us how to turn that passion into a life purpose. I’d recommend the LIFE Leadership Weekend to anyone considering a life and career in Chiropractic. It’s a great preview of what LIFE has to offer.”
It’s a LIFE experience. As a participant you will: ■
Navigate career paths and options at our workshop “Why Choose Chiropractic?”
■
Meet Life University President, Dr. Guy Riekeman
■
Interact with current students
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Connect with faculty & staff
■
Tour the campus
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Enjoy complementary meals on event days
Space is limited. Register today!
Go to LIFE.edu/LLWRegistration Under Next Events choose the LIFE Leadership Weekend dates that best suit your schedule
Upcoming LIFE Leadership Weekends January 30 - February 2, 2014 RSVP by January 15*
April 10-13, 2014 RSVP by March 26*
July 24-27, 2014 RSVP by July 2*
September 4-7, 2014 RSVP by August 20*
October 16-19, 2014 RSVP by October 1*
For more details contact: EnrollmentEvents@LIFE.edu 770-426-2855 www.LIFE.edu/LLWRegistration
* LLW Registration Deadline subject
to close at an earlier date due to event reaching maximum capacity. Late reservations may be accepted if space is available.
TIC
poli
al thots
by gerry clum, D.C.
A Political Round-Up
F PoliTICal Thots— An avenue for outlining some of today’s political debates, provoking thought and hopefully some action on contemporary matters of a political nature influencing your practice, Chiropractic in general and ultimately the broader field of health care.
or anyone with even a passing interest in politics, the month of October gave us quite a bit to chew on … regardless of party affiliation, the government shutdown was quite a debacle. I can’t imagine what people outside of the United States think of the behavior of our political leaders or the milieu that has allowed things to get to the point of unrestrained partisanship that characterizes the current mood. It has been interesting to hear reporters discuss the relationship between President Reagan and House Speaker Tip O’Neill and that of President Clinton and House Speaker Gingrich in contrast to the relationship between House Speaker Boehner and President Obama. In the time of Tip and Ronnie, they saved their rancor for the period before 5 p.m. each day. After that they met, had drinks, chatted each other up and put a face on a position. While the government was unfunded in the Bill and Newt era, they were meeting regularly every day to resolve things. In the John and Barack days, there was nothing to build on when the crisis came. Hence, it lingered. It is all about relationships.
Programs.” We ate meals together, took breaks together; we knew each other’s spouses’ names and were aware of major changes in each other’s lives. In and around 2000, the presidents of the accredited colleges were no longer members of the Board of Directors (Council), and they as a group were represented by a subset of the college presidents. The non-institutional representatives (presidents) and the council and commission members rarely sat together, and there was little to build on when a crisis arose. In that iteration of reduced representation on the CCE, it was assured that everyone would have his or her chance for representation, and there was the appearance of a modicum of representational equity. Then the rotational representation plan was eliminated and the consolidation of influence that has characterized most of the last decade of the CCE was allowed to implant itself. In the past 14 years, CCE has gone from a Reagan-Tip model to an Obama-Boehner model. Unfortunately, it is no more productive in an accreditation environment involving a very limited number of programs than in national politics.
CCE Politics Reflect National Politics
The Affordable Care Act: Love It or Hate It, You Better Know About It!
In the pre-2000 days of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE), there were some nasty fights, bitter debates and hostile exchanges. But they didn’t stop the operation of the organization or compromise the ability of everyone to sit at the table. In that era, presidents of each of the accredited colleges sat on the Board of Directors (Council) of the CCE along with the members of the Commission on Accreditation (COA). Twice a year, the presidents and commission members spent several days together discussing, debating and arguing the most intricate of details (down to the punctuation) that would collectively be the “Standards for Chiropractic Educational
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December 2013/January 2014
While the Republicans were getting bloodied in the public opinion polls related to the government shutdown, the Democrats were hoping that the electorate would exhaust its current supply of venom on the other side of the aisle. On Oct. 1, 2013, and throughout the days that followed with each new flaw of the roll-out of a key element of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the insurance exchanges, it was soon realized that the supply of venom was far from exhausted, as it was spewed on the Dems this round. This is being written in early November 2013. Time will tell if Sec. Sebelius can come through
on her promises of a fix or if the White House can deliver on its care’ and all that follows through ‘The provisions of section repair efforts for the exchanges. Regardless of whether we have 1558’ and inserting the following: ‘non-discrimination in health seen the end of the fits and starts of the PPACA roll-out and care. The provisions of section 1558.’” The day the bill was introduced, over the signature of James implementation or this is the beginning of a long dark winter, it is safe to say that it will pass—maybe like a moderate to large Madara, M.D., CEO of the AMA, a letter supporting Harris in his efforts to repeal Section 2706 detailed the purported reasons kidney stone—but it will pass. One of the important elements of the PPACA legislation for their support: “…the vague anti-discrimination language is open to wide to professions such as Chiropractic is known as section 2706, sometimes referred to as the non-discrimination clause. This interpretation, raises the specter of conflicts with state scope of was engineered by Sen. Harkin (D-Iowa), who is preparing to practice policies, and could lead to policies that have harmful consequences for patients… retire. The clause states: “The AMA is a proponent of the impor2706 NON-DISCRIMINATION IN While the passage of tance of physician-led health care teams. HEALTH CARE. the Harris bill would be In order to ensure safe, high quality health ‘‘(a) PROVIDERS.—A group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering harmful to chiropractors care, all health professionals must be held to the highest standard of care under strict group or individual health insurance covunder the PPACA legis- scope of practice policies that approprierage shall not discriminate with respect to participation under the plan or coverage lation, the effects would ately match education and experience levels to particular procedures, services and against any health care provider who is acting within the scope of that provider’s extend into areas involv- other aspects of patient care. AMA policy supports repeal of section 2706(a), as it license or certification under applicable ing nurse anesthetists, represents federal intrusion into scope of State law. This section shall not require optometrists, nurse practice, generally the province of state that a group health plan or health insurlaw and regulations. Moreover, section ance issuer contract with any health care practitioners, physician 2706(a) has already been invoked, improvider willing to abide by the terms and assistants, etc., and properly, to support efforts by health proconditions for participation established by fessionals to expand their scope of practhe plan or issuer. Nothing in this section represent a simple turf tice under state policies.” shall be construed as preventing a group While the passage of the Harris bill health plan, a health insurance issuer, or protection strategy raththe Secretary from establishing varying er than a patient protec- would be harmful to chiropractors under the PPACA legislation, the effects would reimbursement rates based on quality or tion strategy. extend into areas involving nurse anesperformance measures.” thetists, optometrists, nurse practitioners, In response to this provision of the PPACA, Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland has sponsored an im- physician assistants, etc., and represent a simple turf protection pressive sounding bit of legislation known as H.R.2817 - 113th strategy rather than a patient protection strategy. The bill was introduced in July, and so far, it has no co-sponCongress (2013–2014) – “Protect Patient Access to Quality Health Professionals Act of 2013.” The good congressman seeks sors. Translation: No response is needed or desired at this time. to protect the American population from you! In his mind this Did I mention Harris is a medical doctor? The dust will settle, and if the full promise of the PPACA is rewould be accomplished by implementation of the following: “Section 2706 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. alized, new strategies on controlling costs, improving outcomes 300gg-5) is amended by striking ‘non-discrimination in health and increasing patient satisfaction will be attempted. Some will
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fail miserably, some will succeed modestly and some will be home runs. You cannot change a system of the scope and magnitude such as the PPACA and not have a mixed bag of results. Similarly, some of these strategies will be harmful to us as chiropractors, some won’t make much difference and some will be great for us. If I could tell you what would fall in to each category, I would be making a living at a sports book in Las Vegas! My advice, regardless of whether you love or hate the PPACA, is to learn as much as you can about it. It will be the law of the land that we will be living under as consumers, providers and citizens. Clearly if you don’t understand the legislation, the potential to be abused by it is tremendous. Understanding it may give you a bit more of a level playing field, and mastering it might even give you the upper hand.
State by State Part of my Monday through Friday ritual is to review every legislative change and regulatory change on a state-by-state basis that impacts the practice of Chiropractic. The majority of these types of changes are routine, housekeeping changes that represent a rather mundane morning read. What begins to emerge are issues percolating in more than one or two states and whether or not trends are developing. In general, health care legislation across various disciplines is being modified to provide more protection for children and the elderly in terms of responsibilities to report abuse and related problems as well as state legislative or regulatory changes associated with implementation of various aspects of the PPACA.
This Week in Chiropractic Legislation Vaccine Update The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the U.S. House of Representatives, chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa of California, is scheduled to hold hearings exploring the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program in mid-November. This could very well be a watershed moment, as the interest and concern regarding vaccines has increased dramatically since the last round of hearings. These hearings will be held in the middle of debates within medicine about the propriety of mandatory flu immunizations for hospital workers countered by analyses such as that of the Cochrane Collaboration casting doubt from within medicine on the wisdom of such requirements. If this is an area of interest for you, one of the best databases I have seen on this subject is hosted by Sherri Tenpenny, D.O., and can be accessed at http://vaccineresearchlibrary.com. The database lists only scientific and conventional medical literature consisting of thousands of articles and abstracts related to vaccine concerns.
PTs Versus DCs: The Next Round of Banter On the West Coast, there are some interesting developments related to the practice of physical therapy. In California, legislation was recently signed by Gov. Jerry Brown that provides direct patient access to physical therapists. California was the only state in the western United States that did allow direct access to physical therapists. The access is limited however, to 45 days or 12 visits, whichever comes first. Up the road in Washington State, a multi-year legislative effort is underway by the physical therapists to be allowed to provide spinal manipulation. In Washington, while they may have direct access, they are prohibited from providing spinal manipulation. The chiropractic community has asked for evidence of preparedness to provide this care and the physical therapists essentially have said it is part of our education and we are competent in it. The debate goes on in the Pacific Northwest!
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From a chiropractic perspective one area that has popped up, mostly in the western states, relates to chiropractic care for animals. As you can imagine, the veterinarians are no different than the internal medicine folks when it comes to turf protection, and, as a result, the language in some of these measures is highly restrictive, while in others it is rather permissive. Another area deserving our attention relates to the development and implementation of informed consent to care laws as it relates to the practice of Chiropractic. Most states are vague in terms of the details that must be involved. California, for example, enacted a regulation on this subject that reads as follows: “§319.1. Informed Consent. A licensed doctor of chiropractic shall verbally and in writing inform each patient of the material risks of proposed care. ‘Material’ shall be defined as a procedure inherently involving known risk of serious bodily harm. The chiropractor shall obtain the patient’s written informed consent prior to initiating clinical care. The signed written consent shall become part of the patient’s record.” A regulation such as that adopted in California requires the practitioner to make several judgments that could easily differ from DC to DC. These include such things as what constitutes serious bodily harm? Does that mean something life threatening and/or something uncomfortable? Then there is the question of “known risk.” One must assume that in the construction of this regulation the use of the term “known risk” as opposed to “risk” was intentional and purposeful. How is this to be interpreted? The point here is that regulations and legislation related to the use of informed concern notices by chiropractors will only increase over time. That being said, it is incumbent upon those constructing the regulations or legislation to do so in a manner that has meaning for the patient and has adequate clarity and guidance for the practitioner. All the best to you and yours for a happy, healthy 2014!
December 2013/January 2014
classifieds
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Read Dr. Tom Morgan’s new book, “It ’s Your Choice,” i n honor of and tribute to the life a nd w i s dom of D r. Wi l l i a m Harris. $15. All Proceeds go to the Red Hat Scholoarship Fund benefiting Chiropractic students. Purchase now in the Life University Bookstore, or online at : neebo.com / L i fe-Un iversit y (770) 429-8773
Board................................................... 47 Bodyline Comfort Systems................... 15 California Jam........................................ 55 ChiroFutures............................................ 1 Chiro One Wellness Centers................... 7 ChiroTouch............................................... 3 Foot Levelers, Inc.................................... 5 Impac..................................................... 34 International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.......................................... 45 Lloyd Table Company.......................... BC NCMIC Insurance Company.............. IBC Neuromechanical Innovations.............. 29
To place a classified ad:
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Email production@todayschiropractic.com, fax (770) 650-2848 or call (770) 650-1102, ext. 126. Classified rates are: Up to 30 words: $50; 31–60 words: $75. Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit card payment only.
Now You KNOW.................................... 27
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Nutri-Spec.............................................. 53 Russell Media........................................ 54
what people are saying
Life University has multiple social media outlets, which chiropractors use to interact with each other, share posts and discuss philosophy and ideas. We welcome you to “Like” our pages and join in the conversation. Here are some interesting comments from people over the past few months:
“Aqui estamos, en Life University!” —Luis Daniel Orlando, new student from Puerto Rico [About pediatric Chiropractic] “As the twig is bent so the tree grows…” —Rusty Wouters [About the cost of eating healthy] “Junk food is affordable, not cheap.” —Carolyn Perry Alameida
“Did you know that the drugs used to treat ADHD are derived from the same family as cocaine? Stimulant drugs may produce some short-term benefit in reducing some the symptoms associated with ADHD, however, they have extremely harmful side effects.” —Melissa Hergert “Chiropractic helped our soccer team win the State Championship, Regional Championship and National Championship. Let’s go get lots of people under care.” —Eric Plasker, D.C.
“My daddy checked my sweet boy minutes after he was born, but no adjustment, as he was born with no subluxations. Now at 1 ½, he gets adjusted all the time! I cannot wait until I’m the one who can adjust my son!” —Jennifer Michelle Carter “I’m an AmpLIFEier and I love it! It’s wonderful FREE content to share! I get to choose what content I want to share and when.” —Kevin P. Lewis “It’s unfortunate to say, but the human body will never be as healthy as it needs to be until more natural medicines are pursued—like FOOD and CHIROPRACTIC.” —Brittney Tafoya
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“My chiropractor has changed my life and my disposition.” —Linda Kijek “Chiropractic maximizes that potential within—I am proof of this!” —Renee Oginsky Morehouse “In Russia, spine adjusts YOU!” —Lloyd Lachow [Regarding LIFE’s position on drugs in Chiropractic] “This explains exactly why I am going into the chiropractic field, and also why my choice is Life University.” —Bethanie Hansen “Thanks for putting so much out there. The world needs to know!!!” —Vicki Kuhn Dorvall [Regarding AmpLIFEied posting] “This is a great service. Positive. Enlightening. The identity I want to represent as a holistic health professorial. Thank you.” —David Boorstein