August is a critical time for all constituents to connect with their members of Congress at home. For ACA members, it is a great opportunity to establish relationships and advocate for the chiropractic profession. Join Meghan O'Brien, ACA's Associate Director of Federal Government Relations, for a live webinar on August 8th at 1:00 PM, ET to learn effective methods for communicating with policymakers and the general public. There will be ample time for Q&A, so bring your questions about ACA-backed legislation, Congressional process or government relations in general. Join us for this opportunity to learn how you can get involved with increasing patient access to Chiropractic and support H.R. 3654, The Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2019. Tune in live to ask questions!

Join Dr. Donald R. Murphy, DC, FRCC for a webinar which introduces an evidence-informed, patient-centered approach to the application of the biopsychosocial model in the diagnosis and management of patients with spine-related disorders. Clinical Reasoning in Spine Pain® (CRISP®) was developed based on the vast literature in the spine filed over a period of over 20 years. We will cover the utilization of the CRISP® protocols to establish a working diagnosis, considering the various potential biological, psychological and social contributing factors, and embark on a management strategy designed to address each factor.

This 6-part course series from Dr. Kevin Sharp will provide the fundamental knowledge necessary to appropriately document patient examinations, what payers need to see in the documentation, how to handle audits, appropriate coding, billing policies, and other relevant compliance-related concepts. While the focus of the training will be to prepare Doctors of Chiropractic to run a compliant office, it will also show the value of tracking patient outcomes, illustrating improvement, and the positive impact that these tactics can make on both your practice and your patient’s success.

Join Dr. William Foshee for a webinar that will explore healthcare disparities for LGBT persons and provide learners with training on base level terminology related to gender identity and sexual orientation with a focus on patient self-identity. Learners will be presented with sample intake forms reflective of inclusive practices, strategies to better serve gender variant individuals, and applicable measure for doctors of chiropractic to play a role in decreasing barriers to care for LGBT individuals.

Join Dr. John Ventura for an introduction to the role of the primary spine provider in an ever-changing health care environment. The challenges that spine pain and impairment present to society will be discussed, and the reasons that our current model of spine care has not been successful. The role of a primary spine practitioner (PSP) will be discussed as a possible solution, as well as the specific skill set necessary to function as a PSP. Data supported the benefits of utilizing PSPs will be discussed.

Evidence for chiropractic care in the pediatric population is on an increase, enabling chiropractors to have a vital role in children’s healthcare. This presentation by Dr. Katherine Pohlman will prepare you to share what doctors of chiropractic have to offer (now and in the future). Highlights include research findings from the largest prospective safety evaluation of chiropractic care for the pediatric population and a systematic review of manual therapy use for children.

Part 3 of this 6-part webinar series by Dr. Kevin Sharp will discuss the philosophy of care, and focus on how chiropractors should set treatment goals for each patient that are objective, measurable, reasonable, and intended to improve a functional deficit. The webinar will also define “medical necessity” in the eyes of an insurance provider, and how chiropractic care can fit into that definition. Finally, Dr. Sharp will examine how to proceed when a patient has reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), how to explain the difference between active care and maintenance/supportive care to a patient, and how to code based on the patient’s choices.

Part 5 of this 6-part webinar series by Dr. Kevin Sharp will discuss and demonstrate the basics of successful coding. He will examine codes for the initial visit/examination, as well as important re-examination codes. Next, proper CMT, modalities/therapies, and DME codes will be explained, including a discussion on why it is necessary to show these codes on the clinical record. Time-based codes will also be identified, as will the important modifiers all chiropractors should know for proper coding. Finally, Dr. Sharp will look at some common coding mistakes and pitfalls, and how to avoid them.

The final installment of Dr. Kevin Sharp’s 6-part webinar series will look at proper coding and documentation from the payer’s perspective. This course explains what insurance carriers want and do not want to see in your notes, and how the proper procedures discussed in the previous webinars, along with the correct coding strategies, will help prevent some of the more common documentation and coding mistakes. Dr. Sharp will examine case studies to demonstrate these proper techniques from beginning of care to MMI, while highlighting the importance of ICD-10 and CPT codes, and discussing some commonly under-coded procedures of which chiropractors should be aware. Finally, he will explore art of developing maintenance patients through diligent documentation, and setting the stage for long term care if it is needed.

Communication plays a vital role in clinical practice. It is fundamental to risk management and clinical management. Communication has a profound effect on patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes, in addition to driving referrals and minimizing malpractice risk. Join Dr. Shawn Neff for a presentation that will review the research pertaining to doctor to patient and doctor to doctor communication and will give you strategies you can implement Monday to improve patient compliance, outcomes and satisfaction. You will gain skills and strategies to build an interdisciplinary network to improve coordination of care and increase medical referrals for chiropractic.