Responding to critics that most practice guidelines do not contain practical material useful in the clinical setting, the Council on Chiropractic Practice (CCP) held a ground-breaking Leadership Conference, October 9-10 to obtain input and advice from some of the most famous names in chiropractic practice management.

"Most guidelines -- medical and chiropractic -- were devised by academicians and researchers in a vacuum," explained CCP board member Christopher Kent, D.C. "We want to make sure the guidelines we develop have relevance to real chiropractic practice."

Organizers readily admitted the task ahead of them is a challenging one.

Patrick Gentempo, D.C., emphasized that the guidelines developed by the CCP "will not be a document of compromise. There will be no saying 'we have to compromise on this issue in order to get in with this insurance carrier or this HMO or this government agency.' Our primary concern is the consumer; that's in our mission statement."

It was also explained that, like other guideline panels, the CCP will publish three separate volumes. The first -- nicknamed the "Papa Bear" book by the AHCPR -- will be a comprehensive text covering all reviewed documents, research and material gathered during the guidelines process. The second -- the "Mama Bear" version -- is a condensed version to be used as a reference guide by field doctors. The final "Baby Bear" document will be a short synopsis of the work, which can serve as a health care tract for patient and public education.

Some CCP organizers estimated that between all of them, the consultants attending the meeting had probably had contact with well over half of the entire chiropractic profession at one time or another.

Stated one CCP board member, "Some people have asked why we solicited input from management consultants. The answer is simple. These individuals can most directly affect the way doctors practice, teach the public, and present chiropractic to the world. The real question is why guideline panels in the past didn't turn to them as well."