December 2007

Principles influence buying decisions

by Timothy Feuling, President, Chiropractic Benefit Services

Most chiropractors are familiar with the Ayn Rand quote that "it is a moral crime to give money to support ideas with which you disagree; ... ideas which you consider wrong, false, evil. It is a moral crime to give money to support your own destroyers."

We can easily see how this admonition applies to our political and even religious views. Obviously, if you are a staunch gun control advocate, you wouldn't contribute to the NRA. If you are opposed to abortion, you wouldn't donate money to a right‑to‑choose organization. And, you're probably not going to be a member of both GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) and the Traditional Values Coalition.

It's just as easy to see how Rand's principle relates to chiropractic. If you feel that chiropractors should prescribe medications, you probably wouldn't join the WCA, which opposes that view. On the other hand, if you think chiropractic is appropriate for people of all ages as well as for asymptomatic patients, you would hardly want to send contributions to fund the Mercy and CCGPP efforts.

If you are against pressuring parents to subject their children to a series of vaccine drugs, you would withhold donations to groups that support the vaccine industry. (For instance, several years ago it was revealed that Western States Chiropractic College was a member of the Oregon Preschool Immunization Consortium, whose material proclaimed, "Great shots begin at birth ... age‑appropriate immunizations begin at birth and continue through life, with special emphasis through age two.")

The decisions we make about organizations to join, efforts to support, and even purchases to make, can have a profound impact on the chiropractic profession. That's why we must take into account how those groups and companies will use the money we hand over to them.

I bring all this up in order to explain why Chiropractic Benefit Services (CBS) makes it a point of clearly enumerating its stands on chiropractic issues. From the founding of the company in 1989, we have made no secret of our views on the important issues affecting the profession. More importantly, we have put our money where our heart is and provided substantial financial support to various organizations whose efforts are congruent with those views.

Let me review some of the most important CBS stances and actions.

Vaccinations

CBS opposes mandatory routine vaccination for children and adults, as well as school regulations that put undue pressure on parents to have their children vaccinated against their will. We also feel strongly that all people deserve to receive full and accurate information on the drugs they are given. In accordance with standard informed consent process, full disclosure should be made about the safety and questioned effectiveness of vaccine drugs. Information concerning alternatives to vaccine should also be provided. In accordance with this stance, CBS provides support to the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), which is "dedicated to the prevention of vaccine injuries and deaths through public education and to defending the informed consent ethic... We support the availability of all preventive health care options and the right of consumers to make educated, voluntary health care choices, including vaccination choices."

Guidelines

CBS is the only professional liability insurance program that supports the development of the evidence‑based Clinical Practice Guideline, "Vertebral Subluxation in Chiropractic Practice." We were the largest single financial contributor to the Council on Chiropractic Practice (CCP), the non‑political organization responsible for producing these guidelines. CBS is also the only insurance program to oppose the adoption and use of the Mercy guidelines, and its current incarnation, the CCGPP 'best practices' document. The CCP guidelines have proven to be a valuable tool for elevating the quality of chiropractic care and in defending chiropractors against court and board complaints and in validating the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic care for all patients.

Chiropractic research

Having high‑quality, scientifically valid research is the key to proving what you and I already know ‑‑ that chiropractic is a safe and effective form of health and wellness care that goes far beyond simple pain relief. We must produce research on the far‑reaching benefits of chiropractic care, research that will remove the barriers to chiropractic's growth. I'm NOT talking about more research on chiropractic and low back pain in adults, which merely reinforces the myth that chiropractic is limited to musculoskeletal conditions. We need research showing that chiropractic strengthens the immune system... that it helps reduce the frequency and severity of childhood illnesses ... that it can address a wide variety of organic and stress‑related health issues. CBS uses revenues from policy premiums to fund chiropractic research about vertebral subluxation, and to support efforts to make the results of that research available to the profession and the public.

Practice tools

Here at CBS, our job goes beyond selling insurance programs or defending clients against lawsuits. We feel that prevention is a doctor's best "medicine" when it comes to claims of malpractice. Most legitimate lawsuits are the result, not of a doctor's incompetence, but of unrealistic expectations on the part of the patient, or inadequate record keeping by the doctor's office. Both of these issues can be resolved by instituting a few practical and easy procedures into a practice. All CBS members receive a free copy of the valuable "CBS Malpractice Prevention Program." With this manual, chiropractors can reduce their risk of lawsuits and have a greater chance of winning claims that may be filed against them.

Public education

In conjunction with The World Chiropractic Alliance and The Chiropractic Journal, CBS offers several excellent publications to help both doctors and their patients. Books such as "Chiropractic First," "Chiropractic Works!" "Chiropractic: Compassion and Expectation," and "Under the Influence of Modern Medicine" all contain valuable information that can help practitioners, patients, attorneys and others involved in chiropractic clearly understand the precise nature of chiropractic, and what each patient can and cannot expect from chiropractic care. Several of these books are available for free at the CBS website.

Political activism

CBS and its leaders are deeply concerned about legal and legislative actions to ensure that the rights of chiropractors and their patients are fully protected. We help support, fund, and promote all efforts to work with lawmakers on legislative changes that affect chiropractic and with international organizations to help establish chiropractic worldwide.

Compare these stances and actions to those of the insurance company you currently get your malpractice coverage from. Are they congruent with your own chiropractic views? Are they working to support the type of chiropractic profession you want or are they opposed to your vision? Is the company owned and run by the type of people you'd want standing by your side when problems arise? Are they, in short, like‑minded colleagues or "your own destroyers," as Rand put it?

(Timothy J. Feuling is president of Chiropractic Benefit Services (CBS) and assists doctors in maximizing their practices through the proper choice of insurance and related services. Mr. Feuling is also available for speaking engagements at state conventions and other chiropractic events. Doctors may contact him with questions, comments, and requests for insurance quotes at 2950 N. Dobson Rd. Ste. 1, Chandler, AZ 85224, by phone at 800 883 0412 or by e mail: feuling@cbsmalpractice.com).