Chiropractic's future: By chance or choice?
By Dennis Buckley, DC

What does the future hold for chiropractic? How do you envision our profession? The vision is wide and varied, with some seeing it as bright, and others seeing no future.

Most of us have no vision, but we hope things will work out all right.

Not so long ago chiropractic was considered bunk by the rest of the healthcare community. Through the efforts of research, chiropractic adjustment has proven to be a valuable and viable form of treatment for a variety of conditions. Now physical therapists, acupuncturists, medical doctors, and massage therapists want to perform manipulation.

What was exclusively chiropractic's domain is in danger of being lost. Our unique contribution to healthcare is being taken over by others because we have let it happen.

It is true that the American Chiropractic Association, the International Chiropractors Association, and the state chiropractic associations have been "fighting the fight" for all of us, but unfortunately, they have been fighting with limited resources. We should applaud their valiant efforts and the results they have achieved, given the circumstances. But, those efforts are not enough.

The reality is that the majority of practicing DCs in this country belong to no chiropractic association. Up to 75 percent do not have a voice in the direction of this profession.

The opponents of our profession have counted on this lack of one voice to exercise control over legislatures and the insurance industry and through public relations to discredit the public's knowledge of chiropractic and its effectiveness. Too few people know about the benefits of chiropractic.

It has been said: "All it takes for evil to take hold is for good men to do nothing."

Individually, doctors work hard for their patients, but what are they doing for the profession?

What is your vision for this profession? Where do you see it? What are you willing to do to ensure its success and longevity? The time has come when each of us needs to make a decision: Does chiropractic flourish and grow, or will we allow it to be a footnote in the history of healthcare?

BY CHANCE OR CHOICE?

Are you willing to create your future by chance or choice? It is time that we, as a profession, unite under a single cause, with a single voice.

What are you willing to do? Each doctor and student must take active ownership of this profession and step up with a commitment to not only give verbal approval of such a movement, but to put forth a physical and financial investment to arm our profession with numbers and money to mount a meaningful offensive.

This offensive has a three-prong approach: public relations, research, and political action.

California alone has 10,000 DCs. If each of these 10,000 were to invest in dues to the California Chiropractic Association, the result would be $6 million annually that could be put toward public relations, research, and a political action committee (PAC).

Why make this investment? Thirty-four million spines in California are asking for us. If we cannot deliver, other providers — who are not DCs — will provide what we offer. Many men and women fought long and hard to establish our presence as healthcare providers at a great cost. Will we be the generation that let it slip away through indifference?

It is time each of us to bear the weight of the success of this profession. Not only must we cease to isolate ourselves, we must also interact and coordinate our efforts.

We must have a presence that is beyond reproach in the community, acting with ethics and integrity to gain the public trust.

We must band together like brothers and sisters and fight for our legacy. We cannot and must not sit idly by and expect that someone will do this for us.

Individually, our efforts are scattered and hardly noticeable. Collectively, it is a rolling thunder that can be heard and felt every-where. We are a force to be reckoned with and we will no longer occupy a seat behind everyone else. Our future is determined by our choice. Our choice is our birthright and what we choose determines our future.

Choose to be proactive instead of reactive. Choose to be responsible and accountable. Choose to join with, instead of split apart. Come together as a family and make the investment in each other. Fund the programs that all of us will benefit from. Treat each patient as an opportunity to promote the greatness of this profession. Give thanks for the opportunities we have and each day we serve.

Envision a future in which the chiropractic profession is the health-care leader and our message of responsibility is exemplified by the men and women who practice this art.

Yes, 2007 is the year we listen to our patients, our colleagues, and the cries from generations of DCs past and future.

What is your vision for the future of this profession? If you see where the profession rightly should be, and what a small percentage have been fighting for over the past 100 years, then step forward and exercise your power and might and join with your state and national association to make this profession the leading provider of holistic, preventive, safe, natural healthcare.

2007 can be the year we listened and flourished. Let's make it that way.

Dennis Buckley, DC, is a past president of the California Chiropractic Association and currently serves as the CCA Member Services Department chair. He practices in Pasadena, Calif., and teaches at Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. He can be reached at 626-991-8877 or by e-mail at dennisbuckley@scuhs.edu