The Association of Chiropractic College * July 1996

Issues in Chiropractic

POSITION PAPER #1

Preamble
The Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC) is committed to affirming the profession by addressing issues facing chiropractic education. The ACC brings together a wide range of perspectives on chiropractic and is uniquely positioned to help define the chiropractic role within health care.
The ACC is committed to greater public service through reaching consensus on the following issues which are important to the chiropractic profession:
  • continued enhancement of educational curricula;
  • strengthening chiropractic research;
  • participating and providing leadership in the development of health care policy;
  • fostering relationships with other health care providers;
  • affirming professional confidence and conduct; and
  • increasing public awareness regarding the benefits of chiropractic care.
The member Colleges of the ACC represent a broad diversity of institutional missions. The presidents have drafted a consensus statement that includes the following:
  • the ACC position on chiropractic;
  • a representation of the chiropractic paradigm; and
  • clarification regarding the definition and clinical management of the subluxation.
Additional statements will be forthcoming as the ACC continues to provide meaning and substance regarding what is taught in chiropractic colleges and how this information influences the present and future of the profession.
ACC Position on Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a health care discipline which emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery.

The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. In addition, Doctors of Chiropractic recognize the value and responsibility of working in cooperation with other health care practitioners when in the best interest of the patient.

The Association of Chiropractic Colleges continues to foster a unique, distinct chiropractic profession that serves as a health care discipline for all. The ACC advocates a profession that generates, develops, and utilizes the highest level of evidence possible in the provision of effective, prudent, and cost-conscious patient evaluation and care.

The Chiropractic Paradigm

PURPOSE

The purpose of chiropractic is to optimize health.

PRINCIPLE

The body's innate recuperative power is affected by and integrated through the nervous system.

PRACTICE

The practice of chiropractic includes:

  • establishing a diagnosis;
  • facilitating neurological and biomechanical integrity through appropriate chiropractic case management; and
  • promoting health.
FOUNDATION

The foundation of chiropractic includes philosophy, science, art, knowledge, and clinical experience.

IMPACTS

The chiropractic paradigm directly influences the following:

  • education;
  • research;
  • health care policy and leadership;
  • relationships with other health care providers;
  • professional stature;
  • public awareness and perceptions; and
  • patient health through quality care.
The Subluxation

Chiropractic is concerned with the preservation and restoration of health, and focuses particular attention on the subluxation.

A subluxation is a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health.

A subluxation is evaluated, diagnosed, and managed through the use of chiropractic procedures based on the best available rational and empirical evidence.

Click on the following diagram for a larger version suitable for printing.
(Thanks to Ed Owens, D.C. at Life College for making these gif's available)

paradigm.gif

The Association of Chiropractic Colleges includes:
Email the Pagemaster