The Agency For Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) supported this research to help consumers, policymakers, and health care providers better understand the strengths and limitations of chiropractic care in the United States. The project (grant HS07915) sought to produce a comprehensive and balanced overview of the chiropractic profession and its current and future potential role in the U.S. health care system.
It has taken 100 years for chiropractic to approach the point where it can be referred to as a mainstream health care provider. As such, the issues surrounding the role and scope of chiropractic practice are receiving greater attention than ever before. Many important questions are now being asked, such as: Is chiropractic really an alternative to medicine? Is there a complementary role that includes collaborative care? Should chiropractic remain a separate and distinct profession or seek inclusion into medicine as a subspecialty in musculoskeletal conditions? Should chiropractic education seek affiliation with major universities and colleges housing medical education? It is hoped that this research report will serve as a first step in finding answers to these and other questions about the practice and future direction of chiropractic in the United States.
The report is a collaboration among scholars, researchers, and practitioners from the medical and chiropractic communities. It attempts to provide an unbiased view of what is known and not known about the profession and practice of chiropractic. Topics include:
The report was edited by Daniel C. Cherkin, PhD, Senior Scientific Investigator, Center for Health Studies, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound (Seattle); and Robert D. Mootz, DC, Associate Medical Director for Chiropractic, Department of Labor and Industries (Olympia, WA).
Copies of the research report (NTIS accession No. PB98-111693) are available for purchase from:
The National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Phone: (703) 605-6000 or 800-553-6847
The NTIS accession number used for ordering the report is PB98-111693. Contact NTIS for pricing information.
Current as of April 1998
Internet Citation:
Chiropractic in the United States: Training, Practice, and Research. Research Summary. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/chiropr.htm
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