Outreach
ON Chiropractic
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Over 80 active volunteers in the Community Engagement and Leadership Program ( CELP ) continue to spread chiropractic awareness and the OCA ’ s key messaging to health professionals , government officials , key stakeholders and the general public through participation in tradeshows , presentations and advocacy work .
CELP volunteers represented the OCA at major healthcare conferences , where they shared information on how chiropractors can collaborate with other health professionals to provide MSK care , the range of services chiropractors provide , and notable events included :
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Nurse Practitioners ’ Association of Ontario conference : OCA members Dr . Bruce Flynn and Dr . Dean Tapak presented a talk on their experiences in the Primary Care Low Back Pain pilots
Ontario College of Family Physicians ’ Annual Scientific Assembly : OCA staff and volunteers spoke to many family physicians who requested more information about how to find local chiropractors so they could refer their patients for MSK issues
Ontario Long Term Care Association ’ s This is Long Term Care conference : OCA ’ s presence at this conference generated several requests from retirement homes for chiropractors to deliver presentations on posture and stretching to residents
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CELP volunteers lent their clinical perspectives and expertise to delivering over 40 patient-oriented presentations on a variety of topics , including : seated stretches for seniors , falls prevention , office ergonomics , maintaining proper posture , avoiding seasonal injuries ( e . g . injuring the back while golfing or shoveling snow ), developing core strength , avoiding repetitive stress injuries , and more .
Government Relations and Advocacy
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As the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care ’ s Low Back Pain Strategy has progressed , the OCA has been active in this process on a number of fronts . We are engaged with the chiropractors who are participating in six out of the seven Primary Care Low Back Pain pilots , which have been extended for an additional year with enhanced evaluation components thanks to OCA advocacy .
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care introduced the Patients First Act , and we have been active in consultations about it throughout the year . Along with several letters to Minister Eric Hoskins and meetings with his staff , we presented to the Standing Committee of Legislative Assembly on the value of including chiropractors in the list of service providers in the Local Health Integration Act , 2006 and the Homecare and Community Services Act , 1994 .
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We have continued to advocate for the profession to access advanced imaging , including complex negotiations for MRI , CT scans and Diagnostic Ultrasounds . Currently , the Healing Arts Radiation Protection ( HARP ) Act is being reviewed , and we have provided feedback advocating for chiropractors to be authorized to order MRI , diagnostic ultrasound and CTs , and to perform diagnostic ultrasound . We have also advocated for the reinstatement of chiropractic authority to order funded X-ray services in public hospitals .
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The OCA has also prepared responses to the government on a number of important healthcare and policy developments for the province , including the Sexual Abuse Taskforce , draft regulations for the College of Naturopaths of Ontario and the Clinic Regulation Working Group .
On November 3rd , the OCA hosted a reception at Queen ’ s Park sponsored by MPP John Fraser , Parliamentary Assistant to the MoHLTC , with MPPs and political staff from 36 offices and 18 chiropractor advocates from across Ontario . We met privately with nine MPPs , including both co-deputy leaders of the Official Opposition . We advocated for patient and family-centred MSK care that includes chiropractors , and support for interprofessional pain reduction strategies that include alternatives to opioids and other drugs .
The OCA has also prepared responses to the government on a number of important healthcare and policy developments for the province , including the Sexual Abuse Taskforce , FSCO submissions and draft regulations for the College of Naturopaths of Ontario and the College of Chiropodists of Ontario . www . chiropractic . on . ca 7