Dynamic Chiropractic

Dr. Lorraine Golden, a visionary chiropractor, founded the Kentuckiana Children's Center in 1954, driven by the need to provide free chiropractic care for children with multiple handicaps from financially strapped families. Chartered by the Kentucky legislature in 1955, the center opened its doors in 1957 and significantly expanded its scope. A landmark achievement came in 1961 when Kentuckiana received the first federal grant ever given to an organization rendering chiropractic services, acquiring 11 acres and six buildings. Under Dr. Golden's leadership, it became a unique institution, combining chiropractic care with a special needs school and developing the first postgraduate two-year intern program in pediatrics. Dr. Golden's impactful career was recognized with numerous awards, including "Kentucky Chiropractor of the Year" and the "Heart of Gold" Award. The profound influence of chiropractic care, championed by Dr. Golden's work, is exemplified by "The Story of Justin". A severely challenged two-year-old, Justin's life was remarkably transformed by chiropractic adjustments, inspiring the author's lifelong support for Kentuckiana. Justin later became a medical doctor specializing in pediatric rehabilitation, a testament to the healing potential Dr. Golden championed.

Montana chiropractors recently faced a significant legislative hurdle as House Bill 929, which sought to grant them optional prescriptive authority, was tabled in the state Senate. Sponsored by Dr. Greg Oblander, a chiropractor and state representative, this pivotal bill aimed to empower Montana DCs to prescribe specific non-controlled, nonscheduled formulary drugs for musculoskeletal pain, including over-the-counter analgesics, NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, and various topical medications. Despite successfully passing House review on April 5, 2025, the legislation faced considerable opposition from organizations like the International Chiropractors Association and the Montana Medical Association, with malpractice insurers also noting inevitable rate increases if it became law.

A notable point of contention arose concerning the American Chiropractic Association's stance, where Dr. Oblander's testimony suggesting ACA support contrasted with the ACA's official position of neutrality on state-level legislation. Had the bill been enacted, chiropractors seeking this authority would have needed a special license endorsement from the state board, requiring extensive pharmacology education and adherence to new protocols. This isn't an isolated incident; Dr. Oblander previously sponsored similar legislation (H.B. 500) that narrowly failed earlier in 2025, underscoring that the battle over prescriptive authority in Montana is far from over, a debate set to resurface given the state's biennial legislative sessions.

Navigating financial independence as a chiropractor involves discerning effective wealth strategies from numerous "gurus". This article critically examines four influential approaches: Dave Ramsey's rigid debt-elimination (the 7 Baby Steps), Robert Kiyosaki's emphasis on asset acquisition and entrepreneurship, Grant Cardone's "10X" mindset of aggressive growth and leverage, and R. Nelson Nash's Infinite Banking Concept using whole life insurance. While Ramsey's simplicity reduces stress, his "all-debt-is-bad" philosophy can miss the nuance of strategic practice debt. Kiyosaki's focus on assets is transformative, but the author cautions against excessive debt and prioritizing side ventures over an exceptional practice. Cardone’s growth strategies can be compelling but carry high risk with significant leverage and minimal cash reserves. The author personally experienced substantial losses with Nash's Infinite Banking Concept, highlighting its abysmal returns and immense opportunity cost compared to diversified investments. Ultimately, after 22 years, the author advises chiropractors to build wealth slowly, prioritize their core practice, diligently pay off debt, and consistently apply a simple strategy: give, save/invest, then spend to achieve long-term financial success.

Chiropractic practices inevitably face patient refund requests, situations that, while often not legally obligating a refund, necessitate careful handling as business decisions to protect the practice's stability and reputation. The primary consideration is whether the requested amount warrants the potential headache of complaints, legal action, or reputational damage. Common reasons for these requests include perceived lack of results, worsened symptoms, seeking care elsewhere, changing one's mind, financial hardship, or unused prepayments. While clear financial agreements are important, be aware that state board consumer protections might override these, especially for unused prepaid visits.

For requests alleging injury, immediate consultation with a malpractice carrier is crucial, and any refund must be clearly documented as a gesture of goodwill, not an admission of fault. A critical risk to avoid is sending patients to collections, as this can escalate minor billing issues into costly problems like board complaints or lawsuits. Instead, proactive balance management, offering flexible payment plans, clearly communicating refund policies, and direct phone conversations are better strategies to prevent escalation. If a refund is issued, avoid administrative fees. Ultimately, thoughtful refund management protects the practice's long-term interests.

Healthcare providers, including chiropractors, navigate a complex landscape of advertising regulations designed to protect the public and uphold the integrity of the profession. While the First Amendment grants a constitutionally protected right to commercial speech, this right is conditional; advertising must not concern unlawful activity and must not be misleading. Both state practice acts and federal consumer protection laws, like the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTCA), empower licensing boards and agencies to penalize "false," "misleading," or "unethical" advertising.

Crucially, all advertised claims must be truthful and substantiated with valid research, avoiding unjustified expectations or guarantees of a cure. Providers are held accountable for all advertising appearing in their name, even if not personally created. Testimonials face strict guidelines: they must reflect generally achievable results, be objectively substantiated, involve personally treated patients, and disclose any compensation. Furthermore, testimonials should be current and backed by signed permissions. Given these stringent requirements, regular review of marketing materials by legal counsel knowledgeable in state-specific laws is highly recommended to ensure compliance.

The chiropractic profession is currently experiencing a period of significant growth and leadership evolution, marked by key appointments and expanding institutional reach in research. The International Chiropractors Association (ICA) recently elected Dr. Joseph Betz as its new president, succeeding Dr. Selina Sigafoose-Jackson, underscoring a transition in leadership at a prominent professional organization. Concurrently, the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) demonstrated stability by unanimously re-electing its Executive Committee, including Dr. Karlos Boghosian as president, ensuring continuity in national board governance.

Further advancing the profession's scientific standing, Cleveland University – Kansas City has joined the prestigious RAND Research Across Complementary and Integrative Health Institutions (REACH) Center. This move integrates chiropractic education and research more deeply into mainstream health discussions, with Dr. Carl Cleveland III and Dr. Mark Pfefer taking on key roles within RAND REACH's committees. These developments collectively highlight the dynamic landscape of chiropractic, emphasizing both strong leadership and increasing engagement with evidence-based research. Dynamic Chiropractic also encourages chiropractic organizations to submit their news to keep the profession informed.

Recent research continues to significantly bolster the scientific foundation for chiropractic care, supplementing the long-standing testament of satisfied patients and their clinically verifiable results. Two pivotal new studies, adding to this growing body of evidence, shed light on chiropractic's broad impact beyond just traditional back pain concerns. One randomized controlled trial focused on young adults grappling with persistent post-concussion syndrome following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). This study revealed that chiropractic intervention led to remarkable improvements in static and dynamic gaze stability and Stroop test performance, strongly suggesting a spinal or proprioceptive basis for some long-standing visual and cognitive symptoms.

Concurrently, a retrospective review of records from school-aged children receiving chiropractic care demonstrated statistically significant improvements in their overall quality of life, specifically within the health and activity domain, and a notable reduction in hyperactivity. These compelling findings collectively underscore that chiropractic care offers substantial benefits across diverse health parameters, expanding its proven value and convincing other health care stakeholders of its efficacy.

Taking a full week off is often seen as a luxury in fast-paced professions, but sources highlight it as a vital investment in both mental and physical health. Research indicates that taking less than three weeks of vacation per year is associated with higher rates of physician burnout, which is described as serious mental distress. The health risks go beyond mental health; infrequent annual vacations have been linked to a significantly higher likelihood of death from any cause and specifically from heart disease. Landmark studies like the Framingham Heart Study reveal that men who didn't vacation for several years were 30% more likely to have heart attacks.

Despite facing unique barriers like financial costs and ongoing responsibilities, taking time off is essential for work-life balance. Fortunately, a strategic scheduling method is proposed, allowing a full seven-day vacation (leaving Wednesday night, returning the following Wednesday night) by working intensively the days before and after. This approach involves working Monday through Wednesday before leaving and Thursday through Saturday upon return, ensuring the clinic is open three days a week and providing over 95% patient coverage. This method also eliminates the need for a costly locum tenens. Planning and willingness to work slightly longer days around the break are key to successfully recharging while maintaining patient care. Vacations are crucial for a balanced, healthy life.

Groundbreaking research continues to build the case for chiropractic care as a cost-effective solution for spine-related musculoskeletal pain. A recent systematic review by the Clinical Compass, voted the top published article for 2024 by Chiropractic and Manual Therapies, analyzed economic studies, randomized controlled trials, and observational studies. Its powerful conclusion? Patients initially seeing a chiropractor for spine pain consistently incur substantially decreased downstream healthcare services and associated costs compared to those receiving medical management.

This translates to lower overall healthcare costs, including reduced insurance and long-term expenses. The reasons are clear: chiropractic care is associated with lower rates of diagnostic imaging, opioid prescriptions, surgeries, injections, specialist visits, ER visits, and hospitalizations. These findings mirror a similar analysis from 2015. The review strongly recommends that U.S. healthcare organizations and governmental agencies consider modifying benefit designs to reduce barriers to accessing chiropractic providers, such as pre-authorization, gatekeepers, visit limits, co-pays, and deductibles, to realize these cost-saving benefits.

Big news from Life Chiropractic College West (Life West)! The college is preparing for a leadership transition as the Board of Regents has appointed Dr. Peter Kevorkian as its fourth president, effective July 1, 2025. Dr. Kevorkian will be taking over from Dr. Ron Oberstein, who announced his retirement at the end of June.

Dr. Kevorkian is currently the vice president of institutional advancement at Life West. He is a graduate of Palmer College (1982) and brings over four decades of experience in the chiropractic profession, including private practice and various organizational roles. His previous leadership positions include president of the board of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and the Massachusetts Alliance for Chiropractic Philosophy, and former chairman of the Sherman College of Chiropractic Board of Trustees.

The Life West board chair, Dr. Jimmy Nanda, described Dr. Kevorkian as a "dynamic and inspirational leader" with a strong commitment to educational excellence. Dr. Kevorkian expressed being "deeply honored" and looks forward to collaborating with faculty, staff, students, and alumni to lead Life West into a new chapter focused on philosophy, innovation, student success, and growth.