October 30, 2018—The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care, proudly announces that it is a Paradigm Shifter sponsor of the Academy of Integrative Pain Management’s (AIPM’s) Integrative Pain Care Policy Congress.
The second-annual, invitation-only event will be held at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass. on November 10 and will bring together 100 leaders from more than 65 organizations and federal agencies committed to advancing comprehensive integrative pain management for individuals in pain. Attendees will represent the full spectrum of licensed and certified health care professionals, public and private payers, patients, purchasers of healthcare, researchers, policymakers, regulators and policy experts.
“Doctors of chiropractic fully support an integrated and collaborative team-based care approach to help patients effectively manage their pain and improve their quality of life,” said Sherry McAllister, DC, executive vice president, F4CP. “Supporting the Policy Congress at such a high-level is a direct reflection of those beliefs, and it is also an excellent opportunity to learn and share our knowledge. We look forward to working with other healthcare professionals, practitioners and stakeholders tasked with paying for, researching and improving our country’s health care.”
“We created the Policy Congress after observing a growing number of pain management guidelines and policies—state and federal, public and private—that affected patients in need of acute and chronic pain management,” said Bob Twillman, PhD, executive director, AIPM. “The often-conflicting stakeholder recommendations create confusion in the industry but can also prolong pain and exacerbate substance use disorders. To find common ground, we need input from all stakeholders, including doctors of chiropractic. We are grateful for Foundation for Chiropractic Progress’ participation and are deeply appreciative of their sponsorship support.”
During the inaugural Policy Congress, participants, including the F4CP represented by Gerard W. Clum, DC, agreed to the following definition of comprehensive integrative pain management: “Comprehensive integrative pain management includes biomedical, psychosocial, complementary health and spiritual care. It is person-centered and focuses on maximizing function and wellness. Care plans are developed through a shared decision-making model that reflects the available evidence regarding optimal clinical practice and the person’s goals and values.”
This year’s Integrative Pain Care Policy Congress will include presentations and discussions of national and state efforts to advance comprehensive integrative pain management efforts across all stakeholder groups, as well as fine-tuning collaborative action plans.
“Effectively managing patients’ pain is not a one-size-fits all approach, but establishing and following consistent, evidence-based guidelines and policies across all of healthcare is in the best interest of all parties and the patient,” says Dr. McAllister, who notes that is why the F4CP is proud to be a Paradigm Shifter sponsor of the Policy Congress.
