InTouch: Association news May 2021 Chair's message
Dear Colleagues,
It has been a little over a year since chiropractors re-opened their clinics to patients. As I reflect on this past year, I want to send you, and your staff, my deepest and sincere appreciation for your diligence to provide your patients a safe environment to receive treatment and care.
And while we are open, it is not the same as it was before COVID-19 came into our lives. I know we all want this pandemic to be over so that we can all get to whatever normal will look like in the future. And while the new restrictions show we aren’t there yet, there was a bit of a silver lining. In the news release announcing the restrictions, regulated health professions were not impacted. Chiropractors can continue their clinical practice and serve patients.
That release specifically mentioned chiropractors, along with physicians and dentists. And while it may seem small, it is an important inclusion. This is recognition from government of chiropractors as critical health-care providers. Additionally, this recognition provides a signal to patients, and those seeking treatment, that chiropractic clinics are safe to visit even during COVID-19 restrictions. To be specifically mentioned gives the public a sense of confidence that we are professionals that provide valuable health services, and those services are recognized by government.
This inclusion is the result of intentional advocacy and ongoing government relations work with the Minister’s office, Alberta Health, and public health officials and others within government. It is a coordinated approach across the ACAC to our relationships with government that has brought this small win forward.
Your ACAC Council continues to address the challenges related to implementing Bills 30 and 46 and responding to the pandemic impacts. In April, following a review of our governance and operations, Council reduced the size of Council from 12 to 10, effective with this year’s AGM—five regulated members and five public members appointed by the Government of Alberta. As the implementation of Bill 46 requirements come together, Council will be only engaged in the work of ensuring the College carries out activities and governs regulated members in a manner that protects the public interest. In that light, and learning from best practices, Council determined that reducing its size would not impair our ability to meet that objective.
On nominations, also because of government legislation, this is being reviewed. I fully expect that all regulated members will receive information on nominations in June for the one open regulated member Council seat.
As we approach the May long weekend, which is, according to in-the-know gardeners, the right time to plant your flower and vegetable garden, the start of summer camping and outdoor activities, and warm sunny days, I hope you all get some time to recharge and take care of yourselves. As the months continue to pile up of practicing in a pandemic, I know there are many stressors. If you are feeling that stress, or one of your staff or colleagues are showing signs of hurting, please remember there are resources from the ACAC and public health to support you. We can only do our best care for patients when we have cared for ourselves first.
Regards, Dr. Brad Kane ACAC Chair
A message from your IBC Co-Chairs The Inaugural Board Committee (IBC) continues work to establish the new chiropractic association in Alberta. Just like building a house, this early work is about creating a strong foundation. For the Chiropractic Association of Alberta, that includes the development of bylaws and other governance materials essential to support our application to the Alberta corporate registry and establish the new organization.
As we move forward with establishing your new association, the IBC will be focused on building the chiropractic brand and advancing the profession in Alberta. This work involves defining the Chiropractic Association of Alberta’s mission, vision, and values, all of which will be expressed through the drafting of policies, developing strategic plans, building objectives, and setting our goals. This is a very exciting task for our committee and we want you to be part of it! The May ThoughtExchange is a great opportunity for the IBC to hear from you! Please provide us your thoughts on how your new association may best serve the membership.
As you are all aware, the process of renewal is well underway. As you navigate the renewal application on the ACAC website, you will be asked to provide your consent to share your personal contact information to the new association. This is a legal requirement related to personal information privacy protection, once the separation of the college and association is complete. Your IBC encourages you to provide your consent to this information transfer, as this is the best way to keep all practitioners informed of our progress and activities. By checking “yes” to this transfer of information, you will stay up to date and informed of all association activities.
With warmer weather approaching, the IBC would like to wish you all the very best sun-filled days ahead! During the summer, IBC members will continue to focus on the tasks required to build your new Chiropractic Association of Alberta, with the intent to serve and promote our wonderful profession.
We will continue to provide updates on our progress and the achievement of milestones through InTouch and on the ACAC members’ webpage for the association.
Sincerely, Dr. Natalie Carrington Co-chair, Inaugural Board Committee Dr. Kelly Fleck Co-chair, Inaugural Board Committee
What do you value most as a member? Share your thoughts in this month's ThoughtExchange As the ACAC and the Inaugural Board Committee (IBC) works to stand up the new, standalone Chiropractic Association of Alberta, there will be discussions about what the association will be doing to promote and advocate for chiropractors.
One of the big questions is what kinds of supports, programs, and offerings would members look for and want from their professional association. That is why this month’s ThoughtExchange focuses on what you would find most valuable to your membership to the Association.
Professional associations are dedicated to the promotion and success of a particular industry or occupation. Being a part of a professional association benefits members in a variety of ways, both on an individual and a professional level—including networking and professional development, practice marketing and promotion campaigns (“If it hurts, see a chiropractor), or discounted products and services. An association also advances the profession’s sustainability through helping recruit new practitioners to the province and actively addressing misconceptions the public, or other health professions, may have about chiropractic.
One significant activity that differentiates associations from colleges is government advocacy. While colleges are responsible for ensuring professions are regulated appropriately and according to the Health Professions Act, advocacy to advance the profession and lobby the government to action is an association function.
Please share your ideas, thoughts and opinions on what products, services, and activities you believe your new association should pursue. And comment and dialogue on thoughts shared by your colleagues. You can join the ThoughtExchage at any time or any day, and you can check in more than once.
Thoughts entered into the ThoughtExchange are anonymous. Your input help informs the IBC members on what you want to see in your association.
This ThoughtExchange will be open until 4 p.m. on June 3, 2021.
Key findings from April's ThoughtExchange: Government advocacy webinars come out as most popular April’s ThoughtExchange, which ran from April 19 to May 12, asked members about what kinds of webinar topics and themes they would like to see in the coming year. With the planning for the new Association underway, this question helps the ACAC and the IBC understand what content members want. Unfortunately, participation numbers were low, with only 21 individuals engaging. The ACAC uses the ThoughtExchange application to hear directly from you, as we cannot meet face-to-face in typical members’ forums at this time. Your input will help us to plan and provide programming that meets your needs.
Thoughts shared in the exchange highlighted some great topics, with the top three being:
Thank you to the members who took the time to participate, offer valuable perspective, and suggest opportunities for the association to explore and offer in the future. If you are interested in hearing about current government advocacy and activity, updates are regularly provided at the Monthly Members’ Meeting. The next meeting will take place June 8, 2021.
Need help navigating insurance? Navigating private health-care insurance can leave you dizzy, lost in an elaborate maze. Now you’ve got a guide to help you, your staff, and your patients. Supplementary Health Insurance Explained For Healthcare Providers provides a plain-language overview of topics important to you and your patients, produced in a cooperative effort between the Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA), Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CHLIA), and Extended Healthcare Professionals Coalition (EHPC) Working Group.
Want your questions answered on ACAC work, government advocacy, COVID-19, or other topics? Participate in the June 8 member meeting Watch the recording of the May member meeting above. At the ACAC’s May member meeting
Dr. Kane spoke about ACAC advocacy related to COVID-19 restrictions, encouraged members to complete their renewal early, and talked about recent Council work.
Dr. Halowski gave an update on renewal progress, encouraged members to take advantage of the free CC credits offered through the CMCC online course bundle, and reminded members that in light of rising COVID-19 cases, continuing to follow the ACAC’s COVID-19 Pandemic Practice Directive will help ensure you are not deemed a close contact.
Sheila provided an update on the ongoing work involved with Bills 30 and 46, our spring "If it hurts, see a chiropractor" advertising campaign, government advocacy, and planning work for our Annual General Meeting, annual reporting, and year end.
Members asked questions related to Bill 46 and COVID-19 protocols, the names of the new college and association, and others.
If you want to hear these updates live and ask questions you have of your ACAC leadership, join us at the next member meeting on June 8 at 12:30 p.m.
If it hurts spring campaign wrapping up The Spring 2021 campaign continues as an exciting, integrated, and high-impact campaign. On television, radio, digital media, Facebook, Instagram, and online, cable, and streaming services, the ACAC is promoting the value of chiropractic care to Alberta with our “If It Hurts, see a chiropractor” advertising. This spring’s campaign also builds on the positive results we saw from last May’s radio advertising that told Albertans that clinics were reopened, and were safe for patients to return to receive treatment and care.
In these last weeks of May, the ACAC is also adding a couple of extra avenues to extend our connection with Alberta. The first is a consortium of newspaper and news websites called “the Maple Network” that will feature ACAC advertising in the webpages viewed by Albertans for major papers like the Globe and Mail and National Post, the Suns, Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald, right down to local, weekly papers like the Pipestone Flyer or the Oyen Echo. By using a wide variety of channels, we are reaching across the province to help connect the public with chiropractors and increase their awareness of the benefits of accessing chiropractic treatments.
The second push comes from what Albertans have told us in our market research. Having access to health-care benefits is a key reason they visit chiropractors for care and treatment. As part of a national strategy to advocate for the maintenance or increase in annual allocations for chiropractic care within employee or third-party health insurance plans in all provinces, the ACAC is running ads on LinkedIn targeting HR, corporate decision makers and others in the benefits and health insurance fields to show a real life situation where an employee or worker can continue to do their work because they see a chiropractor. Viewers are directed to the ACAC’s dedicated webpage—chirobenefits.ca—that has information about why a benefit plan that includes chiropractic coverage is good for employees and good for business.
Seeking chiropractors for promotional media features Interested in sharing your chiropractic treatment and care expertise, tips on how to prepare before you start those summer yard duties, or talking about advances in wellness through chiropractic? Then the ACAC wants you!
We are looking for chiropractic practitioners across the province willing to talk with media outlets—radio, television, newspapers—who are looking for subject matter experts, or as a guest on health and wellness topics.
As part of our work to position Alberta’s chiropractors as health-care experts, the ACAC arranges television, radio, newspaper, podcast interviews, or blogs that promote chiropractic. To be effective, the media want to talk to experts—to practicing chiropractors that are helping Albertans each and every day.
The time commitment is minimal, and the ACAC provides supports and coaching to help you do a great interview.
Summer road trip time—MVA resources for you and your patients With road trip season upon us, it’s a good time to ensure you and your patients are aware of their rights when it comes to motor vehicle accidents The ACAC has developed a brochure and handout that outlines how to receive chiropractic care after an MVA. Include these handouts in your new patient package or your office and encourage your patients to have one on hand in their glove box for reference.
Unique Mini-MBA for clinicians in professional entrepreneurship The Schulich Executive Education Centre at York University has pioneered the Schulich Mini-MBA: Clinical Professional Entrepreneurship Program to provide health professionals with current, robust business competencies directly applicable to their practice.
This Mini-MBA for Clinicians—the only program of its kind in Canada—is focused on enhancing business management skills to drive growth and profitability in your practice.
This program helps clinicians starting or expanding a new venture, gaining a fresh perspective on how business knowledge is evolving, and how to lead more customer-focused practices. Interested chiropractors can learn more about this opportunity by registering below to attend an information session on May 26 or June 11. The program runs from June 23 - November 10, 2021.
A case report for adolescent knee pain When it comes to youth soccer, knee injuries are the second to fourth most common injuries. Due to variations in the developing skeleton, it can be difficult to rule out fractures. In this case study, a 13-year-old presented with patellar pain after pivoting during a soccer game. After radiographic clearance, he could return to play, where he fell again and had to have his full leg casted. In visiting a chiropractor after cast removal, he was recommended progressive rehabilitation owing to the lack of evidence for fracture on radiographs. A thorough history, physical, and Ottawa knee rules are suggested before radiographs in the management of pediatric knee injuries due to normal skeletal variance.
On the blog: Chiropractic care helps Alberta's rodeo athletes perform at their championship best Rodeo is one of the most physically demanding things you can put your body through, and unsurprisingly, comes with a lot of risk. Rodeo athlete Matt Lait spent much of his adult life competing in bareback rodeo competitions, where he experienced first-hand the risk and reward of competing.
In this month’s blog, Matt shares his story of how chiropractic care, along with integrated health-care support, kept him pain-free and ready to compete day after day, rodeo after rodeo.
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Need to get your standard first aid and CPR-C to renew your license? We offer regularly scheduled classes.
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[advertisement] Reminder: media calls
Occasionally journalists reach out to members to request an interview or response to a story. The ACAC is prepared to support members through interviews and advise on how best to handle media inquiries.
If you receive a request, please contact Mikiko Van Horn, Senior Public Relations Coordinator, or call 780.420.0932. |