CHIROPRACTORS
ASSOCIATION
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Free News Updates From And About The International Chiropractors Association For You To Share With Your Colleagues And Your Patients
"E-FACTS" REPORT FROM THE ICA PRESIDENT, D.D. Humber, DC, FICA
ICA TO LAUNCH MAJOR NEW CONSUMER FOCUS GROUP RESEARCH PROJECT:
As part of its on-going strategic planning effort on behalf of the
organization and the chiropractic profession at large, ICA's Executive
Committee has approved a major new consumer research project to start in
April, centered around a series of in-depth consumer focus groups.
Organized in conjunction with Washington D.C. area universities, the
consumer research project will seek to gather new and useful data on
consumer thinking about health and health care decision-making processes,
spending priorities and levels of information and attitudes about health,
healthcare delivery and chiropractic. Over a period of months diverse
consumer panels from across the nation will provide insight and important
perspectives on the state of consumer thinking. Such information is vital
to the chiropractic profession and to the ICA as competition between health
professions heats up and the marketplace becomes more complex.
ICA has already had the benefit of a comprehensive review of focus group literature and has prepared a participant questionnaire that will be standard among all groups. This data gathering process is only the foundation, however, for an intensive period of interaction in an in-person setting where a series of moderators will seek to draw out information on key areas of interest in the discussion process. Noted pollster Frank Luntz recently wrote of the need for such qualitative research, saying, "Unfortunately, while we have all the numbers we can possibly crunch, we are severely lacking in insight. 'Not seeing the forest for the trees,' as the saying goes, most pollsters know what people think, but too few understand how consumers feel. If understanding "why" is the objective, qualitative research like that done through focus groups is the answer."
Chiropractic organizations and individual practitioners alike will be able to benefit from the information gathered through this unique process. Presently, little current data is available on consumer attitudes about chiropractic and ICA sees this as an urgent frontier if chiropractic is going to be able to effectively compete in today's marketplace. A special effort will be made to define where consumers look for health care information, what elements go into selecting a health care professional and how consumer value systems interpret the role of both chiropractic and standard medical care. According to one expert with which ICA has consulted, "The qualitative research results provided by consumer focus groups gives knowledge of consumers' product awareness, buying habits, barriers to access and other key considerations. This knowledge is power in the marketplace, whether you're launching a new product or defending your market share."
ICA is anxious to harness this market power for chiropractic and looks forward to an exciting year of research, discovery and productive analysis that will yield new tools with which the profession can extend and expand its outreach. ICA is also exploring several on-line consumer survey options that might be added to the program already underway if it is determined that significant new data might be gathered through this medium.
CHIROPRACTIC FELLOWSHIP OF PENNSYLVANIA JOINS THE CHIROPRACTIC COALITION: The Chiropractic Fellowship of Pennsylvania has informed the founding organizations of The Chiropractic Coalition of their formal decision to affiliate with this new collective problem-solving group. The Chiropractic Coalition was founded in November 2002 by three major chiropractic organizations, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA), the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA), the Federation of Straight Chiropractors and Organizations (FSCO). The Coalition's stated mission is "to protect and support the interests of chiropractic consumers and chiropractors through effective and aggressive unified legislative and regulatory efforts, legal action, and public education" and to "promote chiropractic worldwide as a clearly defined, separate, and distinct profession while protecting the chiropractic consumer's right to have full and direct access to chiropractic care for the correction of vertebral subluxation." ICA is proud to work with the Chiropractic Fellowship of Pennsylvania and looks forward to welcoming large numbers of other organizations into this historic cooperative effort.
DR. GERRY CLUM TO PRESENT IMPORTANT HIPAA INFORMATION AT NEW JERSEY WORKSHOP: ICA, the Council of New Jersey Chiropractors (CNJC) and Life Chiropractic College West are teaming up to bring Dr. Gerry Clum, one of chiropractic's most insightful and able minds, to Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey on February 20th, to present a half-day program on the new HIPAA requirements. There is much misinformation circulating and too many DCs have mistaken assumptions about a federal program that will most certainly impact them in 2003. Dr. Clum and a team of legal and regulatory experts have carefully examined this new law and can offer you a definitive, clear and practical pathway to compliance, without having to spend the large amounts of money some companies are demanding.
The new HIPAA law (HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) will require certain practical steps to guard patient confidentiality. Dr. Clum will walk participants through the compliance process step by step, giving you the detailed background from the regulations and the statute for each obligation you have as a health care professional, and providing the opportunity for you to leave the seminar with your office compliance plan well underway. The registration fee includes a take-home package, with the regulations and forms on CD-ROM, which contains the information you will need to begin your compliance efforts.
This is your chance to learn about this new law from an objective source, presented by one of the greatest minds in chiropractic. This program is a tremendous bargain because it is being brought to you as a service by ICA, CNJC and Life West, not to profit from your fears and concerns over these new rules. Our goal is to make sure that you and your practice are in compliance with the new rules, in the most efficient, cost-effective manner possible. For more information or to register by phone call ICA at 1-800-423-4690 or click here for the reservation form. Watch ICA's website at www.chiropractic.org for other dates and locations for Dr. Clum's HIPAA seminar.
REGISTRATION UNDERWAY FOR SYMPOSIUM ON NATURAL FITNESS WITH ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER AND ROOMS ARE GOING QUICKLY: RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW! The time for the 11th Annual ICA Symposium on Natural Fitness is fast approaching! Be sure and reserve your seat at the Symposium and save your room at the hotel! Registration helps secure your space in the room block: you register with the ICA and then get a confirmation code, with which you reserve your hotel room!
Join colleagues from around the country and around the world at this premier chiropractic continuing education program and celebration of natural fitness and a healthy lifestyle! The ICA Symposium on Natural Fitness is held in conjunction with the Arnold Schwarzenegger Fitness Weekend in Columbus, Ohio, and registered attendees at the Symposium also get their picture taken with Arnold as a studio-style portrait, and receive both a print and the negative! Full details about this unique program are located on the ICA web site, www.chiropractic.org, where you can click on the mini-site under Arnold's picture and find information on the distinguished speakers, program schedule, and registration form, with links to the Arnold Fitness Weekend sites and hotel reservation arrangements!
We look forward to seeing you there! Register right away to ensure a space in the program and at the hotel!
LOOK FOR ICA'S BOOTH AT THE UPCOMING LAS VEGAS PARKER SEMINAR: ICA representatives will be in Las Vegas this coming weekend in strength, enjoying the outstanding fellowship and exciting program Parker is offering. ICA will have a booth and a significant officer and staff presence. Dr. Fabrizio Mancini has arranged for ICA to include a membership application and a promotional flyer for the 2003 Symposium on Natural Fitness with Arnold Schwarzenegger. We also look forward to the opportunity to address the crowd from the platform on ICA's behalf. Thanks to the Parker community for their warm welcome and willingness to include ICA in this great event.
DATES TO REMEMBER: Certification in Chiropractic Spinal Trauma (CCST) program Module 2, 2003, with Dr. Dan Murphy, February 15-16th, Las Vegas, Nevada; New Era in Whiplash & Spinal Trauma Part I with Dr. Dan Murphy, February 1-2nd in Portland, Oregon; New Era in Whiplash and Spinal Trauma, Part II featuring Dr. Richard Christie, Esq., February 1-2nd, 2003, Cromwell, Connecticut; Chiropractic Without a Doubt, with Dr. Steve Hoffman and Dr. Robert Braile, February 22-23rd, Dallas, Texas; 11th Annual ICA Symposium on Natural Fitness Featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, February 28th-March 2nd, 2003, Columbus, Ohio; Inaugural Conference on Chiropractic Philosophical Standards, sponsored by ICA's new Council on Chiropractic Philosophy, Kansas City, Missouri, May 17-18, 2003.
For More Information, Contact the International Chiropractors Association, a Worldwide Community of the Most Successful Chiropractors on Earth at chiro@chiropractic.org or visit the ICA website at www.chiropractic.org.
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