Chiropractors have voiced their concerns for changes in a memorandum to the Examining Board at the beginning of this year. One of the Board’s members, Kelly Brown, filed a memorandum with the Board in January summarizing a list of “outcomes” which state doctors would like to see as a means of promoting occupational growth and eliminating job hindrances. This type of information was to be obtained by state agencies as part of the Governor’s initiative to improve the business environment of this state. Based upon interviews and feedback from the Chiropractic Society of Wisconsin and discussions with doctors in various counties, four important matters were noted in the memorandum:
- Removal of the certification for nutrition. Doctors noted that the courses required for nutritional counseling certification where expensive and often unnecessary since the underlying chiropractic education often included a great number of these types of classes. Doctors noted that the cost of classes and the time attending classes hampered job creation and business growth.
- Allowing CT’s to be in the office without DC’s actually present. Doctors believed that there were many activities within the office which CT’s could safely perform without the doctor meeting the requirement of also being in the office. Doctor’s again felt that incomes could be increased by discontinuing this requirement and that many part time employed CT’s could now become full time workers.
- Removing the exclusive statutory right of the WCA to provide CE education. Presently, Wisconsin statute 446.028 give the WCA, the ICA, and certain approved colleges, the exclusive right to be a program sponsor for continuing education in this state. Doctors felt that their should be a greater variety of CE sponsors and choices with this marketplace for CE. Interestingly, the WCA never provided feedback to the Board member who completed this memorandum. A bill to make this change has already been introduced into the legislature and has not yet been fully debated.
- Reducing the NCBE Score requirements. Doctors felt that the current score requirements artificially and improperly restrict the ability of doctors to obtain a state license. As a consequence, retiring doctors ability to sell practices to new doctors would be impacted.
It will be interesting to see how many of these concerns will be acted upon this year by either the legislature or the Examining Board. With over half the year nearly passed by, there appears to be a great deal of work ahead if these type of changes, meant to improve the business environment for state chiropractors,ver gets accomplished.
COMMUNITY.