NYSCA & New York Chiropractic College Conduct Scope of Practice Survey

In a survey being heavily promoted by the First Chiropractic Physicians Association of America (FCPAA), the New York State Chiropractic Association and New York Chiropractic College are seeking chiropractor's opinions regarding a number of issues related to merger, prescriptive drug rights and scope expansion.

In a letter from Chiropractic Orthopedist and Vice President of NYSCA James Hildebrand published in the June 2013 NYSCA Newsletter, he referred to "modernization of chiropractic in New York" as he urged New York Chiropractors to complete the survey.

The survey, which does not appear to have been reviewed or approved by an institutional review board, asks a series of questions including:

• Licensure status
• Chiropractic College attended
• Year of graduation
• State and national association membership status
• How likely would you become a member of the merged association in New York
• Are you more likely to join if the goal is scope exapansion

Questions regarding scope include asking respondents whether or not the current scope of practice in New York should be changed and/or whether respondents would perform the following if allowed by a changed scope:

• Extremity care
• Over the counter drugs
• The prescription of analgesics, NSAIDS, opiates, MR
• Differential diagnosis of non-musculoskeletal disorders
• Sports participation screening
• Return to play after concussion
• Travel with teams outside of New York
• Homeopathy
• Dietary and nutritional consults
• Do you use the term subluxation?

The survey further asks respondents to place themselves into one of two categories based on practice style:

• Detect spinal subluxations and make adjustment to the spine to remove subluxations, thereby reducing nerve interference which promotes health and well-being for the patient.

• A neuromusculoskeletal specialist, primarily of the spine, who utilizes treatment which includes spinal manipulation, rehabilitation, and other modalities to restore normal joint mechanics for the patient, thereby reducing pain and increasing ability to function.

The NYSCA/NYCC survey then goes on to survey respondents on their opinions regarding Obamacare:

• I am familiar with the effects the Affordable Health Care Act will have on my practice and profession
• It will increase access to chiropractic care
• It will increase reimbursement for chiropractic services
• It will have an overall positive impact on my chiropractic practice.

The New York State Chiropractic Association and the New York Chiropractic Council have been engaged in heated negotiations regarding a "merger" of the two state associations into The Chiropractic Society of the State of New York (CSSNY). Repeated concerns have been raised from the membership of the New York Chiropractic Council that NYSCA and elements within the Council are pushing for the merger which would make scope expansion including the addition of drugs to the practice act easier. NYSCA and NY Council officials have publicly denied this is the case in the past.

According to an announcement from NYSCA following a merger negotiation meeting with the Council on May 8, 2013:

"The NYSCA and Council met on May 8, 2013 at the NYCC Levittown Clinic. Unity was discussed. The meeting was very successful. Information was exchanged to bring back to each organization to review. The overall meeting went very well. The few stumbling blocks were handled. We are continuing to move forward."

CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY