To our valued patients at Main Street Chiropractic,
!!!!We need your HELP!!!!
The College of Chiropractors of British Columbia (CCBC) recently funded a study whose purpose was to look at the use of routine spinal radiographs (x-rays) by chiropractors. What they got was a Rapid Review of the Literature, and what should have been found to be a complete lack of evidence either for or against x-ray use. Us chiropractors need to publish more papers! However, the author of the paper concluded that routine and repeat radiographs currently are not supported by research. Click here to read the paper for yourself.
The concerning part is that our college has already used the findings in the paper to publish draft amendments to our Professional Conduct Handbook. With these amendments, we would no longer be allowed to take x-rays to assess the structure of the spine. This includes taking x-rays at your initial visit, as well as any follow up radiographs to evaluate the evolving needs of your spine as a result of our care. As many of you have experienced, x-rays are an important and necessary tool that we use to provide you with the best care possible. They allow us to assess the health and structure of your spine, look for changes under the course of care, adjust care methods/plans as needed, and they help us direct our adjustments to help you get the best results possible.
As we are sure you’ve guessed by now, we are against the proposed changes. These proposed changes are not in alignment with an evidence informed model of care. They are biased in the selection of scientific evidence, they remove the ability of the chiropractor to draw from their clinical experience and training/education, and most importantly they remove the choice from you, the patient; regarding your preferences.
This is where you come in!
As our patients, your opinion matters to the CCBC. We are hopeful that if we can get enough of you writing to the college and telling them about the value you found in your x-rays, then this new draft will be deleted. Tell the CCBC about how helpful it is to be able to see and understand your spine, how the structure of your spine related to and helped you make sense of your symptoms, and how you appreciate the ability to choose to see how the health of your spine has been changing under care.
Rest assured that your chiropractors are also writing to the CCBC, and will be doing all that we can to continue to provide you with the best care possible. In addition to the benefits that you receive from your x-rays, we greatly appreciate having the ability to see the bones that we are planning to adjust. We are continually evaluating x-rays not only for the structure and the health of your vertebrae (helping us decide where and how to adjust), but we are looking for other pathology that could give us reason to suspect that adjusting is not a good idea.
We very much appreciate your concern, and for taking the time to take action and make your voice heard.
Please provide feedback to the CCBC, no later than 4:30pm on September 8th, 2020.
You can contact the CCBC by clicking on THIS LINK to open an email addressed to them and simply type your name as your signature at the bottom of the message, then press send. Please feel free to add anything you would like to the message, but all it needs added is your name!
You can also reach the CCBC in the following ways:
By email: consultation@chirobc.com cc: HLTH.Minister@gov.bc.ca
By fax or ordinary mail:
Michelle Da Roza, Registrar
College of Chiropractors of BC
900-200 Granville Street
Vancouver BC V6C 1S4
Fax: 604-742-6471
More information regarding the proposed changes can be found in the links provided below:
https://www.chirobc.com/ccbc/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/08112020-DRAFT-PCH-Part-2-Redline.pdf
We truly appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback to the CCBC, therefore helping us to keep providing you with the best care possible.
Sincerely,
Dr. Janelle, Dr. Caitlin, and Katie 🙂