STUDY FAVOURS TEAM-BASED CARE FOR BACK PAIN A recent pilot project shows quicker access to treatment and faster diagnoses for low-back-pain patients when using chiropractors in teams with family physicians. Low back pain is a major health issue in Ontario. It affects 84 per cent of the working population at some point in their life and is second only to the common cold as a cause of lost work time. According to new research, Ontarians and physicians are open to new ways to deal with back pain. Less than one in five Ontarians say their back pain is resolved quickly and easily, with a majority being in favour of including chiropractors in teams with family physicians for the management of their back pain - and family physicians agree. New research from the Ontario Chiropractic Association (OCA) conducted by Environics Research Group shows the vast majority (93 per cent) of family physicians frequently treat patients with low back pain and more than half (55 per cent) find it challenging to treat these patients on their own. Three-quarters (75 per cent) say they think their patients suffering from low back pain could benefit from treatment options offered by other health-care professionals. “Chronic low-back-pain patients are commonly referred to orthopedic surgeons, even though about 90 per cent are not surgical candidates. They are also often referred for unnecessary expensive diagnostic services such as MRIs,” says Dr. Robert Haig, Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Chiropractic Association. “We believe that by collaborating with family physicians to deliver evidence-informed low-back-pain care, we can provide patient-centred, positive results for Ontarians. This is why we pilot tested the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care–funded ‘Consulting Chiropractor’ model of care.” The OCA pilot project evaluated the benefits of involving chiropractors in a primary care team-based setting by assessing patients with low back pain and discussing treatment options with the patient’s family physician. Results of the pilot project showed that a 30-minute assessment from a chiropractor resulted in a reduction in requests for MRIs and referrals to surgical specialists as reported by the participating family physicians. From the perspective of the participating family physicians, a quick turnaround between them and the chiropractor resulted in increased patient confidence in diagnosis and treatment options. Currently, Ontarians are seeking treatment from a variety of health-care providers for their back pain, such as chiropractors, physiotherapists, specialist physicians and registered massage therapists. Three-quarters (74 per cent) think it would be a better use of our health-care dollars if professionals such as chiropractors were used more in teams with family physicians. “Across the province, family doctors are starting to work in innovative and collaborative ways with other health-care professionals. There is so much more that we can do when we work in teams,” says Jan Kasperski, Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario College of Family Physicians. “Back pain is a common problem that causes significant disability. Better management of these patients by family doctors supported by the expertise of various health-care professionals such as chiropractors and physiotherapists is a solution that will ensure Ontarians with back pain will receive the best care possible.” Collaboration is already happening in a number of ways across the province, with over 74 per cent of family physicians referring to chiropractors, and that number is increasing. “The Drummond Report and the Ministry’s own Action Plan make it clear that patient-centred, collaborative care is the way of the future,” says Dr. Robert Haig. “We are encouraged by this language, and the results of our recent studies demonstrate that this is what Ontarians, and family physicians, want too.” For more information about chiropractic care or to find a chiropractor in your area, go to www.chiropractic.on.ca PATHWAYS TO PRACTICE, 2012 The Ontario Chiropractic Association announces that its annual Pathways to Practice event will be taking place on Saturday, October 27, at the Hilton Toronto. This professional development day qualifies for up to six hours of structured credits for continuing education as outlined by the College of Chiropractors of Ontario. This year the OCA is pleased to feature special guest Dr. Richard Brown, a chiropractor and lawyer practising in the United Kingdom. Since 2009, Dr. Brown has been the President of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) and was instrumental in leading the Association during one of the profession’s most challenging times in Britain. Dr. Shawn Thistle, founder and president of the Research Review Service, will also be presenting at the event. Back by popular demand, a tradeshow will feature more than 30 professional exhibitors showcasing a variety of products and services designed to help you in your practice. Delegates can also check out Tech Talk, the internet café that offers attendees the chance to experience the latest software products or to simply connect on the web. Delegates can test drive PMP and ChiroWrite, and access other OCA resources from several computer workstations. There will be draws for prizes and a closing reception where delegates can network with peers and explore the tradeshow. For more information on this event, including registration details, please visit www.chiropractic.on.ca. TEAM CHIROPRACTOR AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN JAPAN Vancouver DC Stephen Mogatas will be attending the 2012 World Ultimate and Guts Championships in Japan as Canada’s first-time-ever team chiropractor. From July 7-14, the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) 2012 World Ultimate and Guts Championships (WUGC) will be hosted in Sakai, Osaka, by the Japan Flying Disc Association. The international event is held every four years and 24 countries are registered to compete for the coveted gold medals in the Open (Men’s), Women’s, Mixed and Masters divisions. Team Canada Open are currently ranked number one in the world and are the 1998, 2004 and 2008 World Champions. This year’s roster is composed of elite players from across Canada and based on the Vancouver club team Furious George, who won the 2011 Canadian Ultimate Championships. Last spring, Dr. Stephen Mogatas attended the Team Canada Open tryouts in Vancouver, B.C. He acted as sports first responder and provided care for acute injuries on the field. At his clinic, Jointworks Chiropractic, Dr. Mogatas continued to monitor the neuromusculoskeletal health of the players and provided manual therapy including active release techique (ART) and Graston Technique in combination with sports rehabilitation. Since then, Jointworks Chiropractic has quickly risen as the top choice for ultimate players in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland for manual therapy and sports rehabilitation. After building a strong relationship with the team and demonstrating proficiency in diagnostics and manual therapy, Dr. Mogatas was invited to attend the WFDF 2012 WUGC as the official team chiropractor for Team Canada Open. This will be the first time a chiropractor will officially travel with Team Canada Open to the world championships. Ultimate is a fast-paced sport that requires agility, speed, stamina and strength. Players are required to sprint, cut, leap or layout in order to catch the flying disc, and tend to draw a great deal of incidental contact with their opponents. The goal as team chiropractor is to manage acute and ongoing injuries so the team can compete at an optimal level. Sportsmanship is referred to as spirit in the ultimate community and it is a vital component of the game. Competition aside, the WUGC 2012 is aiming to support victims of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami disaster. The games also aim to build stronger international relationships between countries. This outlook is a true testament to the spirit of the game and nature of the ultimate experience. For more information on the WUGC 2012 event, please visit http://wugc2012.org. LIFESTYLE MEDICINE SUMMIT TO ADDRESS CHRONIC ILLNESS Metagenics, Inc., a nutrigenomics and lifestyle medicine company focused on reducing chronic health conditions and improving health, recently announced that it will be convening its first Lifestyle Medicine Summit on September 28-30, 2012, in Dana Point, California. This landmark professional education event will bring together prominent leaders in this rapidly growing field to share how science-based protocols can be effectively applied in clinical practice to reduce or reverse chronic health conditions and transform lives. Internationally known leaders in the field of lifestyle medicine, Jeffrey Bland, PhD, and Jay Lombard, MD, are confirmed speakers, as well as John Gray, PhD, bestselling author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. “With the worldwide epidemic of chronic disease impacting our health and our economies, there’s no debating that lifestyle medicine is a powerful force that cannot only help prevent, but also alleviate many of these illnesses,” said Jeffrey Bland, PhD, FACS, CNS, chief science officer for Metagenics, Inc. “The Lifestyle Medicine Summit is a unique opportunity to share advancements in lifestyle medicine and nutrigenomic approaches that address and help delay or reverse the onset of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, digestive issues, stress, inflammation, hormones, and cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.” The Lifestyle Medicine Summit will take place at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, Calif., on Sept. 28-30, 2012. Other confirmed speakers: Mark Hyman, MD, who is a world-renowned clinician and internationally recognized leader in addressing the root causes of chronic illness. He serves as the chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine, and is on the board of directors of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine. Susan Blum, MD, MPH, a pioneer in lifestyle medicine and the founder of Blum Center for Health, providing personalized approaches to chronic disease. She is an assistant clinical professor in preventive medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and a member of the senior teaching faculty at The Center for Mind-Body Medicine. She also serves on the medical advisory board for The Dr. Oz Show and is a regular health contributor to Martha Stewart’s Whole Living. To learn more about the Metagenics University Lifestyle Medicine Summit and to register for the event, visit www.metagenics. com/2012summit or call 800-692-9400. JOURNAL OF CHIROPRACTIC HUMANITIES ON PUBMED The National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) announced that PubMed, the prestigious search engine of the National Library of Medicine, has now included the Journal of Chiropractic Humanities (JCH) among its indexed publications. JCH began in 1991 as Philosophical Constructs for the Chiropractic Profession. In 1993, the journal changed its name and broadened its purpose, becoming the Journal of Chiropractic Humanities (JCH). Today, the mission of the JCH is: “… to foster scholarly debate and interaction within the chiropractic profession regarding the humanities, which includes history, philosophy, linguistics, literature, jurisprudence, ethics, theory, sociology, comparative religions, and aspects of social sciences that address historical or philosophical approaches.” “Although JCH is currently indexed in several other indexing systems,” says JCH editor Claire Johnson, DC, “PubMed is where health care providers and decision makers look when searching for trustworthy and high quality literature.” “With the addition of JCH, all three of our journals are now indexed in PubMed,” said James Winterstein, DC, president of NUHS, which publishes the journal. The three NUHS journals are: the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT); the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine (JCM);and the JCH. “My personal thanks and appreciation goes to Editor-in-chief of the journal, Dr. Claire Johnson, and Associate Editor Bart Green, DC, for their dedication and commitment to the quality and content of the JCH. That quality has made this indexing possible.” The journal can be accessed via www.journalchirohumanities.com or www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov. NEW PATIENT RECORDING SYSTEM FROM CLA Dr. David Fletcher, Canadian DC and chairman and chief clinical officer, Chiropractic Leadership Alliance (CLA), announces the new COREscore reporting opportunity for practices. Using scientifically developed technology that precisely detects where and how deep the problem is, the COREscore measures spine and nerve tension that is damaging your patient’s health, and delivers a score that every patient can understand. Developed by chiropractors for chiropractors, the COREscore removes guess-work from the equation and puts validated, repeatable testing in the doctor’s hands. The COREscore is part of the new CLARITY solution from CLA that provides both doctors and their patients, on-line, 24/7 access to their Insight reports and scans. . To learn more about COREscore and the CLARITY solution, visit us at www.claCLARITY.com/Introducing or call 800-285-2001.