NEWS

Updated Imaging Guidelines For LBP.
This is the current release of the guidelines for imaging of lumbar spinal pain, updating the previous recommendations of 2000. The National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (NGC) is a comprehensive database of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and related documents. NGC is an initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NGC was originally created by AHRQ in partnership with the American Medical Association and the American Association of Health Plans (now America’s Health Insurance Plans [AHIP]).

The NGC mission is to provide physicians, nurses, and other health professionals, health care providers, health plans, integrated delivery systems, purchasers and others an accessible mechanism for obtaining objective, detailed information on clinical practice guidelines and to further their dissemination, implementation and use and can be found at: http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?view_id=1&doc_id=8599

BIBLIOGRAPHIC SOURCE(S)

• Bradley WG Jr, Seidenwurm DJ, Brunberg JA, Davis PC, DE La Paz RL, Dormont D, Hackney DB, Jordan JE, Karis JP, Mukherji SK, Turski PA, Wippold FJ, Zimmerman RD, McDermott MW, Sloan MA, Expert Panel on Neurologic Imaging. Low back pain. [online publication]. Reston (VA): American College of Radiology (ACR); 2005. 7 p. [23 references]

Research Website Launched at Macquarie University
At the recent World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) Conference held in Sydney last year, Macquarie University proved itself to be a world leader in chiropractic research. Macquarie distinguished itself with many quality research papers at that conference and have continued the collective effort of the almost 20 post graduates MSc / PhD degree students. With more than 20 submissions for the upcoming 2006 Federation of Chiropractic Education and Research Conference (FCER) to be held in Chicago in September Macquarie again looks to be a leader in the production of research for the profession.

The Department also has a new research website. Although it is still in the construction phase, the Department has launched its research website at the following url: http://www.chiro.mq.edu.au/Research/index.htm. On the website you will find information regarding research programs, current research projects, staff and student profiles and links to the research groups at Macquarie University including: Macquarie Injury Management Group (MIMG), Asthma & Spine Centre and the Radiology group.

Check back frequently as the website will be constantly updated, particularly as several of the PhD candidates near their completion.

Chiropractic Conference Brings the Nation’s Top Chiropractic Physicians Together to Determine Priority Areas for the Next 25 Years
DALLAS, TEXAS – February 27, 2006 – A consensus conference was held February 17 through February 19 at the National University of Health Science outside of Chicago to focus on recommendations in a plan of action for the chiropractic profession as a whole. Leading the Chiropractic Strategic Planning Conference was John J. Triano, D.C., Ph.D., who focused on issues of credibility and appropriate utilization of chiropractic care by the public.

“It is nice to have a forum for our physicians to discuss the hurdles chiropractic care has to overcome, independent of formal professional association politics,” said Triano, who served as head of the conference’s steering committee. “Chiropractic care has come a long way in past years and this gives us a way to mould the profession to reach higher goals and better serve our patients in the future.”

Attending the conference were leaders in chiropractic education, research and practice who heard recommendations from experts in the study of health professions, health care futurists, medicine and federal research programs. Together, the group worked to come to a resolution on important issues related to the current and future state of chiropractic care. Among the issues discussed were the barriers to and opportunities for greater integration and interprofessional cooperation. From these discussions, two distinct priority areas emerged, integrity and trust and equitable public support for education and research.

Future conferences are in the planning stages under the conferences multidisciplinary steering committee, which consists of professional journal editors, association leaders, a college president, private chiropractic practitioners and a medical physician who serves as director of the Samueli Institute.