A local newspaper prints an article that is very negative about chiropractic, and contains several mistakes and misrepresentations about the chiropractic profession. Discuss with your group members whether and how to confront challenges to chiropractic such as this. Could you keep a “cool head” to discuss issues? If so, with whom should the discussions take place? Should you avoid the discussion?
Use Kinsinger’s Case Analysis Methodology (pages 55-57 in the text) in discussing with your group the issues and implications of this case as well as potential actions you may take. Post a summary of your team’s comments to the blog before noon on Wednesday, January 11.
Group 15
ReplyDeleteThe world is scattered with information which confront not only our professional beliefs but our ethical beliefs as well. Our group agreed that it is vital to keep a cool head when confronting these issues. Although it is easy to be frustrated when a belief is attacked, keeping a calm demeanor will allow for the following benefits: 1) the conversation will have a greater chance of allowing the perspective to be explained. 2) the person being spoken to will feel more respected if they aren't being "yelled at". 3) It will portray professionalism and demonstrate that it is understood that the chiropractic profession, like every other medical or holistic profession, will be under scrutiny at times.
It was also agreed that as a professional we should be aware of current criticisms. If someone comes into our practice and asks us about strokes associated with cervical adjustments, for example. It would be most beneficial to be aware of the criticism and be able to give scientific proof that supports the perspective. If there is no knowledge of the criticism, It would be best to explain that some research must done on the topic before an opinion can be expressed ( assuming an opinion is unable to be formulated based on current scientific, or ethical knowledge). Avoiding the topic is not advised because it gives the perception that the negative fact is true or that the profession is a "joke".
Group 5
ReplyDeleteAs with any health career, there will be biases, opinions, and judgements associated along with them. We as Chiropractors are a part of this professional health care system, and with this comes responsibility and, of course, being professional. Whether these opinions are published for everyone to see, or if they are spread from person to person, there will always be negative comments about our profession, and as a group, we decided it is ALWAYS best to keep a cool and level head. If we don't, we could make rational decisions and continue to give chiropractic a bad name.
Some actions we could take to "better our name" is to hang up posters/articles in our offices that are correctly sited and are not biased. We must make sure that these documents are properly researched and are up-to-date. Our group decided that it'd be best to also talk individually to patients if/when they ask about the topic. If people we talk to get frustrated and demand that we are wrong, we must always keep a level and cool head. Always be a professional.
Group 18
ReplyDeleteThe chiropractic profession has been highly scrutinized. Situations frequently arise when certain individuals, groups, or organizations criticize the profession and make false assumptions based on their own personal beliefs and opinions. Our group discussed this situation and unanimously agreed that it is critical that we keep a cool head when dealing with these false claims. Even though a situation like this is frustrating, the best strategy is to be reasonable, ethical, try to understand their reasons for their beliefs and opinions, and to educate these individuals with your knowledge and expertise of the profession.
The first thing that needs to be done is to identify the main players in the dispute of chiropractic beliefs. The main players include: you (as well as all chiropractors), the entire newspaper office (especially the author), and even the readers of the newspaper. It is absolutely necessary to use a reasonable and a non-threatening tone with the opposition. The opposition’s main value conflicts as well as their attitudes and assumptions about chiropractic have to be identified in order make a substantial argument and be convincing. For instance, we have to assess the community’s beliefs about health care as a whole and what kind of people make up the area population. Once all of the relevant data of this group is gathered, we can then develop the best possible course of action.
If the newspaper and its readers are to have their views changed about chiropractic, we need to gather as much information and research as possible (make sure it is completely up-to-date) so that we have legitimate evidence based on fact. As chiropractors, we need to use our vast knowledge of the profession so that we may properly educate them of what they may not know. It will also help to communicate and discuss the problem with other chiropractors as they may be able to provide substantial help to the cause.
Overall, this specific situation can be handled in a positive and effective manner. Through proper examination and review, we can develop the best course of action that will hopefully overturn the false assumptions and beliefs of chiropractic by providing facts and communication. If the opposition’s beliefs are changed, then ultimately the word will spread to others and the reoccurrence of similar situations will be rare.
Group 13
ReplyDeleteSince the beginning Chiropractic has faced trials and tribulations from the masses about its practices and procedures. It is important to remember that until the year 1987 Chiropractic was thought of as an "Unscientific Cult" by the American Medical Association. That brand has since passed, however there are and always will be people out there who believe what we do is trick people into taking their money. Obviously none of us believe this to be true, however, we must realize that these people are out there and we will have to deal with them every day.
It is important to remain calm when dealing with people who are uninformed as such. Acting in aggression toward these people would only show that we take value to what they are saying. By reacting harshly we will almost solidify their beliefs that we in fact are an “unscientific cult”. In situations as such it is imperative to quote proper literature and research articles pertaining to the benefits of chiropractic on health and wellness of the human situation as well as its massive benefits for chronic back pain.
The correct way to address this issue is to confront it where it began. Write a column for the exact same newspaper citing the importance of chiropractic and of its massive benefits. In addition I would write a letter to the author of the previous article stating the relevant statistics and counter pointing all of the main issues he or she had with chiropractic. It is imperative to go to the beginning of the problem to cease it from happening again. I would also have many papers and research studies available to patients of my future practice to combat any doubts that they may have. It all begins with proper patient education. If you can educate your patients they will spread the good word of chiropractic and its benefits on their lives.
By entering the field of chiropractic all of us have taken on the endeavor of fighting these prejudices every day. We must have known about the broad history of chiropractic as a whole before desiring to join into its ranks. Therefore we have dedicated our selves to deal with these issues head on when they approach us. This is the only way to truly educate others on the profession as a whole.
Group 16,
ReplyDeleteWhen looking at any medical field there will often be misrepresentations regarding the way that the profession is viewed. This is especially true when you have reporters are looking for stories that will be able to sell newspapers whether it is done intentionally or unintentionally. It is also especially true of professions such as Chiropractic that is often viewed to be outside of “mainstream” medicine. Our group decided that this makes it even more essential to maintain a cool head when dealing with the situation so that we do not detract from the credibility of the profession as a whole. This could be done in a variety of ways.
Hopefully as any good Chiropractor you are heavily involved within your community and have a good reputation that people will trust. However, the first thing that should be done is to go to the newspaper with scientific proof or data that clearly shows the mistakes and misrepresentations. In this way, hopefully they will post an article correcting their mistake so that it will reach the widest audience. It is also crucial that through their practices Chiropractors reach out to their patients with what are the correct stories or information. Needless to say it is important for all Chiropractors to be up-to-date on the current issues facing the profession as a whole. At no point should the issue ever be avoided. If this is done it will be tantamount to an admission that whatever was written in the article was true. If these kinds of mistakes and misrepresentations are allowed to continue that would greatly hurt the profession in the long run as people see it as unreliable, or worse yet, dangerous. That is why as a professional you are involved in leadership positions within any community you are involved in and have an impeachable reputation; why you stay current with research and what is being said about the profession by the media; and why above all you maintain a “cool” head when dealing with various people, especially those of opposing viewpoint.
Group 10
ReplyDeleteAlmost every health profession is criticized and exposed for flaws on a daily basis, rather it be by news paper articles or a normal person leaving a health institution displeased with the results. We as a group feel that chiropractic care will always be under this microscope for multiple reasons, most of them relating to the fact that it is currently not the method of modern medicine. Almost all of us know someone who is not related to the chiropractic profession but affiliated with some other type of medical care. Most of the people we know in a different medical profession do not necessary believe in the benefits of chiropractic care, beings most of them are primary involved with western medicine. My brother, for instance, is a pharmacist who works in a hospital and believes, along with other physicians and staff, that chiropractic care is a “joke” or gives false hope. Neither these people nor this article stated above have evidence to dispute the results gain by chiropractic care.
As listed in Kinsinger’s book, evidence is necessary for an argument to be taken seriously. Beings the article does not state any evidence and seems like a biased piece or work, it would be easy for the normal chiropractor to get upset over the article and “lose their cool.” Relating to the example listed above about friends/family against chiropractic care, we don’t believe it would be necessary wrong to state a counter argument with evidence and results because one would want to defend their profession and believes. However, pertaining to the article, this would be wrong to confront the challenge. In public situations one would want to keep a “cool head” because one is not just representing themselves, but instead representing the profession and every chiropractor in the world. In the circumstances that one would be angry enough to actually pursue a confrontation in the form of another article; one would have to go about it in a manner that is professional and get straight to the point with up-to-date evidence and references rather than insulting the other author and giving one’s opinions. We believe that sited facts and results speak more than an opinion. Who’s to say that this author maybe trying to get a rouse out of a chiropractor whom maybe willing to fight back and jeopardized their public image and career with childish acts?
Outlined Kinsinger’s book, if you have a moral objection with something there is a way of handling it correctly or incorrectly. When representing something that is bigger than you, one must make sure to embrace the issue in a professional manner. If this is a problem that has more benefit to counter rather than do nothing, then one must ensure they go about it in the correct way with specific data relating to the issue at hand. For example, maybe one would find counter evidence for the negative circumstances stated in the article, then that is something they could send into the publisher. Either way one decides to handle the situation, we as a group agree that it needs to be done in a professional, “cool headed” manner rather than lashing out like an angry child.
Group 21
ReplyDeleteIn healthcare, as with everything, there is always going to be opposing opinions on techniques, treatments, etc. As Kinsinger says in number three, "Ensure that all the value conflicts are examined from the perspective of all the players." It is important to know how to address these issues in a professional manner. There needs to be a balance between getting the correct impression and information across and keeping the profession in a positive light. This issue would need to be addressed at once, in a style that does not shed a negative light on chiropractic. If a professional cannot keep a “cool head” when encountering opposition, what does that say about him and his profession? One cannot get heated when educating others on his area of expertise and expect to have made a difference on their views. Of course, the issue cannot be ignored because that hurts you, your colleagues, and your profession.
In regards to whom to contact to correct any misrepresentation, it would be best to first try contacting the author of the article. It could offend the author to go straight to his superior. However, if he is nonresponsive, the next step would be to contact the editor. It is important to be careful what we say because, as Kinsinger says in number eight, “someone else is being told he or she is wrong”. The problem could just be that the author is not as knowledgeable on the topic as he thinks he is. The solution would be to educate him so that he can retract the article and publish a new one with the correct information. If this is the case, it is easier to accept an alternative opinion if it is not forced upon someone.
An alternative would be to address the misrepresentation as it comes up, such as when a patient inquires about it. It gives you a chance to explain the errors of the article to the patient, so that he is well informed. Another thought is that as a chiropractor, it is important to do your research and be aware of controversial topics and negative opinions. This way, you can develop your own opinions and address any concerns with patients and/or other professionals.
It goes without saying that there will always be ‘nay-sayers’. Sometimes, though, it’s not about being right, but about education. This is especially true with the healthcare profession. Each branch has its own methods and is slightly biased; however, everyone that entered these professions had one thing in mind – to help others. That being said, if you can educate just one person on new or misrepresented information, you are making a difference.
Group 23
ReplyDeleteOften times negative, misguided criticism is coupled with uneducated ideologies. Our group agreed to confront these issues, providing facts and case studies to dispell the negative and inaccurate publications. Our group decided our target audience should be the readers who were originially presented the misnomers. We decided to contact the editor of the newspaper asking for a rebuttal against the article, stressing to him that only facts would be presented. We would keep a cool head and no attacks would be made against the publication or it's writers. By taking this approach we could sway the readers with case studies rather then lies.
When submitting this rebuttal it is important to look at everyones perspective (our audience and writers against). Our audience may have no background in the sciences. Therefore the facts and studies presented should be layed out in a manner understandable to the readers, and not presented as a scientific paper or case study. From the publications standpoint it is important not to attack the writers, who may have had a bad experience with a single chiropractor and are taking it out on the profession.
It should be mentioned that as a profession chiropractic has been attacked since its origination. By attending Palmer and becoming a D.C. you are signing up for, and should be ready for such scrutiny. This does not mean you should stand for such ridicule. In fact the D.C. who speaks out against the opposition is the person who is helping our profession grow. We will all be trained in the near future to diagnose and adjust, but the courage to stand up for what you believe in is a characteristic that is not learned.
The scenario provided is one of many we will see once we leave the protective doors of Palmer. Once we start screening, we will be faced with many objectives to the Chiropractic profession. In what manner would we chose to handle those when face to face with someone? The same way you would handle a newspaper article with misrepresentations about the field, with professionalism, respect, and coming from a place of love for the individual. In this manner, we should not have to worry about losing our “cool head.”
ReplyDeleteThe key is always remaining professional and respecting the individual. In most situations that involve negativity or false facts about the field, typically it is due to the individual being misinformed, educated incorrectly, or having a bad experience with a Chiropractor. When speaking to individuals who don’t have all the facts, do so in a manner that is speaking to them rather then putting them down. The last thing we ever want to do is turn someone away from the field because we were condescending, making them feel stupid, or did not feel valued at all.
There is a reason we all chose to come in to this field. Surely, we are all aware that this is not a profession that is strongly supported by the majority (public/medical community). If it was, there would be a higher amount of people under the care of a Chiropractor. One day, there will be a tipping point where the question “Do you see a Chiropractor?” will turn in to “Who is your Chiropractor?” Until then, we are responsible for the positive growth for our profession by being strong and influential leaders of our community.
How might that look in this specific situation? As a group, we unanimously agreed that we should address the author and even the owner/manager of the newspaper but do so with professionalism and respect. Doing nothing means we are ok with what he wrote or would rather have someone else handle the situation rather then be inconvenienced with it.
One option we discussed was writing a letter to the author, addressing each mistake/misrepresentation with supporting documentation (ie: most recent studies.) One of our members even suggested discussing her potential actions with her mentor and fellow colleagues before contacting the author. The purpose would be to ensure there would not be any further negative impact on the profession as well as adhering to any state/government guidelines.
We could also turn this negative issue into a positive opportunity. Since we are all going to be professional and “cool headed” when faced with a situation like this, we could call the paper and invite the author to our clinic or to our next community wellness seminar. At that time, we can have a discussion with the author to clear up any misunderstandings he/she has about the Chiropractic profession and even give him/her the ability to meet some of our patients who love the feeling of wellness.
Gandhi said it best, “We must be the change we wish to see in this world.”
Group 20
Maureen Leahey
Group 1
ReplyDeleteCriticism is something that the chiropractic profession has been accustomed to from its beginning. As a part of chiropractic we are responsible for educating the public with facts about our philosophy as well as the benefits of chiropractic care. We should acknowledge that other people may have different opinions than our own, which they are entitled to. But we should not let the issue go without defending our position. Approaching this situation from a friendly, nonjudgmental perspective will facilitate learning for all parties involved.
This discussion should take place with the person who wrote the newspaper article with hope that our stance will be heard and that he/she will write a new article shedding a positive light on our profession. If this is not possible, writing an open forum letter is another route that can be taken. It would also be important to discuss the article with chiropractic professionals as well as students. Keeping our colleagues informed about the media or public perception will empower us to learn about what others think and how we should deal with it.
Keeping it "cool" is key when clarifying the misconceptions drawn from another's ignorance. Knowledge is power, and the more we strive to learn and continue to self-educate will only make these incidents easier to handle in the future.
Group 11
ReplyDeleteIt is important we realize that we are going to be criticized by other professions and people, just like every profession. We must constantly evaluate our methods of treatment to determine what is most effective for our patients. This is what makes the healthcare profession challenging. Science is dynamic by nature, and every day researchers come up with new information on how to better treat patients. Chiropractic is doing the same, researching the effectiveness of adjusting to provide concrete evidence to other healthcare professionals that we are effective in treating patients even though our methods are different from traditional allopathic medicine.
We must remain calm when refuting false claims to ensure we maintain professionalism. It shows we can handle someone attacking our profession without becoming angry and allowing our temper to speak unprofessionally. It is hard not to lash out when being attacked because that is our human nature, especially in regards to something we value. However, by taking the time to talk to individuals with questions, we will demonstrate maturity in that we are willing to communicate with others about their questions instead of dismissing them as unimportant, which will only lead to those individuals believing that the misrepresentations about chiropractic are true. In this way we are being good stewards for our profession and demonstrating leadership by making sure chiropractic is being properly represented to the public by correcting those who are misinformed.
It is essential that a discussion take place because we do not want our profession being misrepresented and tarnished simply because we were too lazy to take a stand for ourselves. However, we must not be quick to take a stand when every opportunity presents itself; we must follow several steps to make sure our stand is professional and respectful. We need to communicate with the newspaper about what was written and be willing to discuss questions people may have. We need to provide up-to-date and scholarly information in regards to the questions they have. As with every profession, there are going to be risks involved in certain treatments. We need to provide information that shows both the positives and negatives of certain adjusting methods. This shows the utmost professionalism and maturity in that we are willing to admit that, yes, there are risks involved in certain treatments, but we have a very thorough method of evaluation to avoid giving patients the wrong treatment. However, in rare cares, accidents can occur that are not expected.
Our actions and the way we conduct them is going to affect our profession as a whole. We should address the writers and any who have questions due to the article. This demonstrates the ability to take action and confront those who have offended us rather than be immature and fire back without first approaching those who offended us. By doing this, we demonstrate the ability to communicate in both a professional and respectful manner, which will build our reputation. If we lash out, it will portray poor professionalism and immaturity in that we did not take the time to think about how to best handle the situation and evaluate the risks and benefits of acting one way as opposed to another.
People all over the world and in every profession are going to have questions about what we do. We must not get caught up in personally trying to counter every argument or criticism or else we will turn the focus of what we do away from the patient. The newspaper author should be contacted since it more directly affects us because it was a local newspaper, but we must realize that to try and personally refute every criticism someone has would leave us only in frustration, as there will always be someone who doubts what we do as chiropractors. I think it is much more feasible that we deal with questions that are directly presented to us and work as a team with our colleagues to provide proper patient education, rather than to put the duty on solely ourselves.
Group 17
ReplyDeleteI would not avoid the discussions around our profession. The negative talk of chiropractors is pretty typical and it will make us better chiropractors if we learn how to handle the situation. We should always keep a cool head about things like this. It not only will misrepresent me, but it also misrepresents the profession as a whole. I would suggest writing an article in reference to the previous article. This article should not be written in a rebuttal form but as a positive and knowledgeable form. Kinsingers case study methodolgy makes some very good points. I suggest that we gather all the information we can about the POSITIVE effects of chiropractic and braintstorm on how we can use these effects to articulate a knowledgeable foundation. We should justify our point but don't "bash" the other article. If we "bash" the article, think of how many people will read that and just think: well (s)he might be right, but I hate the way (s)he came across; it was like chiropractors just think that they know everything. Instead, if we can articulate the importance of chiropractic care in a way that kids, teens, adults, and the elderly can understand, just think of the patient base we will have. We are primary health care providers and we need to be straight foward with people or we will not have that patient trust. We should discuss the importance of chiropractic care with everybody. This means people who you have never met before (maybe you saw them in walmart or something) to other health care professionals. In the case study methodology, the first thing it says to do is determine the underlying problem. I think the underlying problem is being able to intellectually communicate chiropractic care importance. This should be our goal. People will not listen to someone if they are always negative or if they come off as viewing themselves superior to everyone else no matter how factual the argument is. We are in this profession to change lives and patients come first to everything else. Patients will have these same questions. How will we respond to them when they ask us questions seen in that article, or maybe stuff that they had heard from other people? The point is, never avoid the situation, instead, view the situation as a learning experience for future patients. The patients and the community as a whole need to learn from us. We are educators and we save lives; lets do what we are here to do and nothing more.
Group 19
ReplyDeleteAnyone involved with the chiropractic profession should have the ability to handle these issues with a “cool head.” It is important to the profession that these issues are handled and not simply ignored. If the mistakes and misrepresentations about the chiropractic profession were found in a newspaper it would be the responsibility of the chiropractic student or D.C. to set the record straight. This could be done by writing a letter to the editor of the newspaper explaining the mistakes in the article while at the same time citing the correct information. Types of mass media like newspapers have a great impact over people’s opinions even if the information is incorrect. Helping people is the most important part of chiropractic, but the amount of people receiving care can be negatively affected if people have incorrect information regarding chiropractic.
A situation as significant as this may not occur very often. However, it is common for someone to hear a conversation where chiropractic is misrepresented. In this situation it is the responsibility of the student or chiropractor to be prepared and willing to enlighten the misinformed individuals. This should always be in a manner that respects the views of others. As a D.C. or even as a student, professionalism would be critical in making sure all members of the discussion are respected. A simple conversation may not seem very significant, but that conversation can quickly spread, reaching the same level of impact as a newspaper article. This is why it is so important to speak up and engage in discussion with those that are incorrect in their claims about chiropractic. Everyone that has chose to be a part of the chiropractic profession makes it what it is today and we cannot let false information spoil what so many have worked to cultivate.
Milad Asefi
Group 12
ReplyDeleteBeing that we live in America, the land of the free and home of the brave, the paper has the right to post whatever they feel is right. The issue here cannot be that they did in fact publish the article because they could. Now given that the do receive and review numerous articles that are considered to be new worthy every day our group can only hope that they would do their best to make sure that what they print is accurate or has been checked for errors. The mistakes may be from poor journalism or not checking the sources for or with a creditable individual, such as a licensed chiropractor, that could clear up any of the miss understanding, or inform them that the information that they were about to print was incorrect.
My group feels that the issue does not so much have to be confronted as it feels that the mistake and misrepresentations should be brought to light. We feel that the discussion really cannot be avoided though. By avoiding the problem it makes it seem like the mistakes are right and that would be a poor situation to leave ourselves and the profession of chiropractic in. The discussion would have to take place with the agency that has made the misrepresentation because they would be the ones that could help fix it most readily. With that said we do believe that this discussion has to be done in a manner that does not seem like us as chiropractors are attacking the misprint because that could lead to more problems for our profession by angering the people that could help us fix the problem. Being that we are members of the health field in question we have the knowledge to let them know what was wrong with the article. By showing them data or giving them the proper info to correct the mistake can help lead them to a solution for fixing the issue. After we did have the discussion with the paper they would then have a source about chiropractic that they would be able to check with for information about chiropractic before they print another article that may have mistakes and misrepresentations.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGroup 24 (forgot to mention this)
ReplyDeleteIt is without a doubt that our group shows some real passion for chiropractic. Some of our members wished to confront the author personally, but ultimately we discussed the need to write a rebuttal to the author of the article or to the editor of the newspaper for numerous reasons, bring about the beneficial nature of chiropractic, educate those as to what chiropractic really is and what we as chiropractors do to our patients in general, and to stop or correct some myths that may be harmful to our profession.
I believe that the latter point will be a big challenge for all of us post-Palmer. We are already well aware of numerous myths that regard our position and our profession in general that have very adverse effects whether or not they are actually true. It is our duty, as leaders of the profession, in order to right these wrongs, because we are not in this profession for us primarily. Rather, we are in this profession for our patients and to the general community of chiropractic. If we are to let the slander continue, non-action aids the situation, in which case we would be continuing the slander of chiropractors, the chiropractic profession, as well as our patients who may be ridiculed for their belief in our work.
However, the next big issue is to do this professionally. Keeping a cool and level head when in confrontation can be difficult, but as long as we have faith as well as the proper evidence, via case studies, research articles, or even patients who wish to volunteer to speak on their chiropractic experience, in chiropractic it may prove to be easier to defend chiropractic diplomatically.
On the other hand, some members did bring up the point of not confronting the situation when it is a more exaggerated defamation. If the author has a known reputation in the locale of being someone to embellish rumors beyond credibility or even state personal fabrications, it is probably safe to say that the rest of the population will skip over the author’s article to begin with. Versus if the author has been known to write nothing but facts or population polling, in which case the article may prove to be even more beneficial to the chiropractic profession by understanding what we need to improve on and to understand what our potential patient population’s current thoughts are about our profession.
Even if the newspaper was comparable to The National Enquirer, having the negativity out there is putting negativity towards our profession, our life, out into society. Putting it out there is the first step in getting recognized, because that article could be used as another piece of evidence against chiropractic. So in either case it is up to us as part of profession to make sure we act as we want the profession to look, as well as confronting any negativity that may deface the community of chiropractic, in a professional and tactful manner. That may be simply writing a letter to the author or editor of the newspaper, confronting the author or editor, writing a contrasting article with proper evidence, or taking the article into consideration to find out what the population thinks and improve our work.
Group 2
ReplyDeleteMore often than not these types of ideologies are formulated from inaccurate information. With that being said; as professionals these types of situations need to be addressed in a calm and collective manner. A significant portion of your occupation is reflected in our attitudes and how we carry ourselves even in the most problematic situations. We felt that this situation should be discussed with the editor of the newspaper. It is not only for the benefit of our profession but also for the credibility of the newspaper that is printing misleading information on a profession that has the potential to help people. It isn’t about proving people wrong or pointing figures. It’s about presenting the facts that have the potential to improve the life-style of others. This isn’t something that can be ignored. It’s something that needs to be addressed especially when it is being published in newspaper articles. This information is distributed to many people within the community in which we practice and could have severe consequences on your practice. It is something that needs to be approached with facts that cannot be ignored and should be made available to these people that a drawing false conclusions that are misleading others that may not know any better.
A teacher is someone that educates another that may not be as well informed. A part of being a Chiropractor is that you must not only treat your patients, but you must also educate them. Chiropractic is often misinterpreted by individuals in the community, and it is our responsibility to educate those individuals about the benefits of this profession. Kinsinger’s Case Analysis Methodology is a great resource to use when approaching any type of issue. It dissects the issue so that you can address a situation with a “cool head”.
Being in a profession that is fairly young and is not as well known, or understood as other main stream health care providers by the general public allows for constant criticism. Our group came to the consensus that if negative information is presented about chiropractic it is absolutely necessary to maintain a ‘’cool head.’’ Not only is that part of being a professional, but if you erupt that shows insecurity which is not what your patients want to see. You should have scientific research that refutes the negative claims made, and be able to explain this evidence to your patients if they question the validity of chiropractic. If you see a publication that shows chiropractic in a bad light and are not quite sure how to debunk the claims. You should immediately have a conversation with another colleague of yours who may have already had to deal with a similar misrepresentation. Our group unanimously decided that completely avoiding discussions involving the negative aspects of chiropractic that may be claimed is not an option. As doctors of chiropractic we need to understand that it is our job to educate and help individuals to the best of our knowledge. If we refuse to take part in these debates than we lose all credibility and should not be considered a professional. Group 22
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGroup 4
ReplyDeleteAs an alternagive medicine, chiropractic, this bias or unproven fact always could be confronted but whenever this situation comes up, always keep cool head to discuss issues. Everyone's opinion could be different and every health care has strongest points and weakest points. However, some one comes up with unproven fact or opinions about chiropractic, need to show them proven evidence based on experiments or science without becoming angry or yelling. Also, as an chiropractor, showing them confidence also very important. In the worldwide, still not so many countries familiar with chiropractic and many countries are negative about alternative medicines not only chiropractic. As a professional chiropractor, educate people who do not know about chiropractic also very important. When announcing the benefits of chiropractic, recommend people to try and make them satisfy then we can have less negative or perceptive opinions towards chiropractic. Always have to be calm and try to educate people because people do not know about chiropractic and that's why they have negative opinions unless they want to have negative opinions on purposely about the chiropractic. D.D Palmer became more famous after he treat the Lillard's deafness through treatment of back. It was new to everyone and no one could imagine. It could have more negative opinions back then than now because it was too new to everyone. However, nowadays more people recognize chiropractic and they like to treat by chiropractors. It means that people have seen more positive sides of chiropractic than negative sides of chiropractic. Researchers of chiropractic need to collect these positive data toward chiropractic and try to prove them base on science because it could be helped when someone has negative or criticism toward to the chiropractic.
Group 14
ReplyDeleteEverybody seems to have the same response to this problem and I also agree. We should battle ignorance with knowledge and patience and we should rebuke the false allegations published in the news paper immediately. However, this case is an example of the biggest problem in our profession right now, internal disorganization. The truth is the majority of blame for the general public's confusion about chiropractic is owned by chiropractors. The doctors in this profession disagree with each other more than they agree and because of this infighting the message of chiropractic gets lost in translation. Most groups have not addressed this underlying issue. Until we as a profession take an active role in controlling our image and our message, there will always be erroneous information about chiropractic circulating through the media.
Dr. Kinsinger’s case analysis methodology is just an outline for how to devise and execute a plan and if I were to apply it to this situation I would say the way to stop our profession from being slandered involves two steps. The first step is increasing the enrollment of chiropractors in professional organization. The second step is to use the money generated from the memberships to promote chiropractic on the same scale as the medical and pharmaceutical industries. It is that simple. We get loud, visible, and speak the truth.
Group 3
ReplyDeletePart of being a leader and professional is listening to people. The first step is to allow whom ever to speak; in this case the local newspaper. Next we need to be tolerarant and consider the motivation for which it was written. Maybe the article was written by someone who is not educated about Chiropractic or someone who is oppositional? Usually there is a goal purpose for most articles posted in a newspaper. The next responsible thing to do would be to make a decision to act. People may feel obligated to take action and defend their identity.
We agreed that in order for us to act as professionals we need to be in control of what we do, how we use our knowledge and control our emotions. We decided that if we were in such a situation, we would not pursue the newspaper company or the author. Situations like this are reoccurring in this profession and part of becoming a professional in this field is learning how to properly deal with it. Current patients one way or another already have their opinion about Chiropractic from their own personal experience which might not be easily swayed be a newspaper article. The article will however affect people who don’t have a strong decision yet which is most likely someone who has never been adjusted yet. There is no doubt in our minds that our patients and people in the community will ask us questions about the article, of which we would simply give reasonably supported information and sound answers. We need to maintain our composure in front of people when negative representations occur. Our confidence in Chiropractic resonates through people when we remain optimistic. We always need to be focused on our patients and our relationship with them. Chiropractors have to share their philosophy of their science and the science of Chiropractic with their community in order for it to prosper.
Another thing that people need to consider before taking action is how would pharmacists feel if Chiropractors put an article in the paper about how pharmaceuticals are overused and abused? You could agree that such a statement could have people second guessing their medications and over-the-counter drugs. Then again, many people already have strong opinion based on their own personal experiences. There are some people who rely on some sort of pill, injection, etc to be able to function every day.
Hopefully patients will be sharing Chiropractic and stories of their benefits with others. Who knows, maybe those who respond to an article in the newspaper that is misrepresenting the profession in their lives that helped alleviate their aches and pains and improved their health will be the patients!
Group 7 - Nathan Kronemeyer
ReplyDeleteWe are faced every day with the challenge of biased opinions. This isn't something unique to our field though in the medical profession we face our fair share of it. Though things have imporved in the past decades we have a long way to go and we as students will carry the bulk of that burden.
The ability to keep a calm demeaner and present a rational, logical, and well researched opinion can be difficult when it is on a subject that we care greatly about. There can be several ways to go about handling this situation. The most common thought would be to write a column into the same paper rebuting the points of the previous article. Unfortunatly the poeple who want to believe well or badly about a subject will already have there minds made up and will probably believe we have found an equally bias article to refute the previous one.
As chiropractor we have a responsibility to our community, if we have fostered healthy and professional relationships with our patients they will come to us for the real story and in turn speak out for us when people discuss it with them. We should also be available to people who see the article and do have questions and may be skeptical. The only way to reach these people however is to be understanding of the climate of our country towards health care. When taking this into account it is much easier to effectively communicate with those who are questioning.
Overall we feel the best approach is education and relationships with our patients. Allowing them to defend us or point others in our direction so that we can help them better understand what it is we do and the science behind it.
Group 6
ReplyDeleteAs professionals we are not only representing ourselves, but also the profession, so keeping a "cool head" is very important. When there is negative representation is important not to amplify that with reacting poorly and unprofessionally. This group focused on the idea that such an article could be an opportunity for the profession and the individual to be informative to the public. First priority is the patients. It is important to insure that your patients understand what is true or false about such an article and that they are reassured that they are being presented with the best care. Also, once the patients are informed they can relay the information to others. Negative representation is going to be a factor in our careers, so handling it appropriately is going to be a common occurrence. An interesting suggestion that was presented is that losing ones "cool head" can be more detrimental to your pracice than the negative press for the article. People actually having a bad experience versus bad information is going to have a much greater impression on them. Information is information, but when you lose your professionalism and your ability to correctly represent yourself and your career it will not be good.
Group 8
ReplyDeleteThere will always be misinterpretations and doubts about the medical field as a whole, not just chiropractic. People find out about X medicine actually worsening symptoms or not adjusting their lifestyle in order to receive the full benefits of treatments but rather blame it on the treatment itself. Before confronting the newspaper editor/author we agreed that maybe it would be best to discuss the article with other colleagues first and then speak to the company. We could address how or what is wrong in the newspaper with journal articles or even site cases of previous patients. As with all controversial debates, confrontation must be done with a "cool head" in order to display confidence and professionalism. This discussion should not be avoided because this could lead to more false information being said about chiropractic as well as other medical occupations. With each experience we learn something new and there will be many challenges that lie ahead of us as chiropractors; it is how we deal with them that determines who we are as a professional.
Many of the misinterpretations, of the chiropractic profession, are derived from the lack of good, consistent informational sources available to the general public. Chiropractic is a fairly new profession and functions under philosophies that are contrary to, and sometimes undermine, popular medical beliefs. As such, a strong push for the production of convincing evidence-based literature is required to terminate misconceptions of chiropractic, and its potential to maintain health and wellness.
ReplyDeleteIn the current era, chiropractic professionals have the difficult task of proving the benefits of care without having the strong literature foundation, which is characteristic of other health professions. Thus, patience is our greatest ally when addressing poor media coverage of chiropractic. Maintaining a "cool head" and showing the effectiveness of our profession through practice and outcomes will speak louder than slanderous local media coverage. The effectiveness of our practices will have to suffice as our foundation, until research publications catch up to the fast-paced growth of the chiropractic profession.
Lastly, maintaining our "cool heads" is most important outside of our clinics. When approached by our friends, family, the general public, presenting ourselves as professionals will result in being treated as professionals. This is a principle to be employed by any professional of any profession. However, with the microscope of mainstream healthcare focused on chiropractic, we are left to easy scrutinization.