PALM BEACH, Florida -- The FCLB's annual meeting continues to be international in scope, as does the Federation itself.
Professional licensing boards, including chiropractic, are frequently being called upon to be more effective in regulating and policing their professions. The latest report by the Pew Health Professions Commission has recommended that decisions by the existing health care licensing boards should be reviewed by another board dominated by consumers.
As the demand for health care accountability mounts, the FCLB continues to enhance its computer information system. That system, called CIN-BAD (Chiropractic Information Network-Board Action Databank), has been providing online services to state and provincial licensing boards since April, 1993.
Recent expansion to CIN-BAD have been made. The changes that are pertinent to Canada include:
- Board Action Databank: disciplinary actions taken by FCLB member boards number over 3,300, with 1,800 practitioners on file. Actions are reported by 54 boards from three countries, including Canada.
- Professional Practices Database: survey results from FCLB member boards about allowable professional practices according to statutes.
- Contact Information: current contact information (names, phone and fax numbers) is maintained for all of the FCLB member boards, and for the registrars of chiropractic colleges.
- Laws and Rules Database: a full text database including legal statutes from many of the FCLB member boards. Planned additions will include regulations and interpretive opinions from the attorneys general as they are made available by the regulatory agencies.
The FCLB will be continually receiving information from each chiropractic licensing board. This information will be matched with records in the All Names Databank, with the Federation staff seeking additional clarification as needed. The Federation will be the final checkpoint for chiropractic disciplinary information.
Self-regulation is an important privilege that is not granted lightly. The Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards is not only protecting the public, but it is going the "extra mile" to insure the rights of the practicing chiropractor.
Canadian Board President Honored
The prestigious "George W. Arvidson Award for Meritorious Service to Chiropractic" was presented to Daniel Saint-Germain, DC, the president of the Canadian Federation of Chiropractic Regulatory Boards (CFCRB). Dr. Saint-Germain helped build the CFCRB from a fledgling organization with a budget of only $2,500, with himself doing all the duties that would normally be done by officers and a staff. The Canadian Federation has grown to include member licensing boards of all but one of the Canadian provinces.
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