PCCW's first choice of location is Davis. PCCW filed a pre-application with the Davis Planning and Building Department in October 2001. The pre-application allows Palmer to speak with city officials about the project, which calls for two phases of building over three to five years.
The desire to move the campus is based on the high cost of living, traffic congestion, and shortage of housing in the Silicon Valley. Davis, however - mainly a college town - also has a shortage of student housing.
As this issue goes to press, Palmer officials are scheduled to meet with the Davis Planning Commission.
Federal Grant to Kaiser to Study Patient Preferences in Back Care
The Agency for Health Care Quality and Research has granted the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (CHR) in Portland, Oregon, $99,000 to study which aspects of health care patients with acute low back pain value most, whether medical or alternative care.
The principal investigator for the study is Richard Meenan,PhD,MPH, a researcher at CHR; the co-investigator is Charles Simpson,DC, chief medical officer at Complementary Healthcare Plans (CHP). CHP is a preferred provider organization that provides chiropractic, naturopathy, acupuncture, and massage therapy to Kaiser Permanente Northwest (445,000 members in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington).
The study will survey 2,000 Kaiser Permanente members who have had acute low back pain. The study seeks to clarify what patients value most in their health care, and what "trade-offs" they are willing to make in receiving either conventional or alternative care. The patients will be asked to rate the importance of a number of treatment factors: the provider's listening skills; the amount of information provided about their condition and treatment; decision-making of the doctor; length of visit; and out-of-pocket cost. Based on their preferences, the patients will be asked to choose between chiropractic and medical care providers for acute low back pain care.
"This study will add valuable new information to research efforts already underway in the chiropractic field," Dr. Simpson asserted. "By studying what patients value about their care, as well as traditional medical outcomes, we hope to develop a new way of assessing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of complementary and alternative treatments."
Wisconsin Association to Pay Antitrust Settlement
The Wisconsin Chiropractic Association (WCA) has agreed to pay a $62,500 settlement in an antitrust lawsuit brought by the Wisconsin attorney general's office. The suit alleged, according to the Capital Times, that the WCA and its director, Russell Leonard, "conspired to increase prices paid for chiropractic manipulations and boycotted insurers to receive higher reimbursements."
The suit also alleged that in 1996, Leonard and the WCA engaged in anticompetitive practices to keep board members of the WCA's southeast district from sponsoring seminars.
Though the WCA has agreed on the settlement, the association has admitted no wrongdoing. Under the terms of the settlement, the WCA is prohibited from conducting any fee surveys until June 30, 2002, and has agreed to file reports on association meetings and activities for the next four years to show that it is not engaging in the antitrust practices the suit alleged.
According to the Associated Press, the WCA "reached a similar settlement in March 2000 with the Federal Trade Commission over similar allegations."
CRASH: New Executive Board Appointed
The Center for Research into Automotive Safety and Health (CRASH) appointed new executive and advisory board members in December 2001. They are:
Executive Board Members
Arthur Croft,DC,MS,MPH,FACO,
presidentMichael Haneline,DC,FICR,FAFICC,
vice presidentSteven Whitelaw,DC,
William Remsen,DC,MS,
secretary
board member
Advisory Board Members
William Koontz,DC
Carlos Bioleve,DC
Christopher Centeno,MD
Michael Freeman,DC,MPH,PhD
The San Diego, California-based organization is "dedicated to conducting research and promulgating unbiased data relating to the field of automotive safety and health in the principal areas of crash prevention, crashworthiness, public awareness and improved clinical management of injuries."
Chiropractor Carries Olympic Torch
In acknowledgment of his volunteer work, Scott Dyer,DC, of Sarasota, Florida, was selected to carry the Olympic torch on December 8, 2001. Dr. Dyer was one of 11,500 chosen to bear the torch prior to the lighting of the Olympic flame in Salt Lake City on February 8, 2002, which officially opens the Winter Games.
Dr. Dyer, a former CPA in Manhattan, shifted his career focus to chiropractic in the 1980s. After graduating from Life College, he began a practice in Tampa in 1986. Dr. Dyer has volunteered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. He serves on the board of directors for Family Partnership, is a member of the Florida Chiropractic Sports Council, and is a certified fitness trainer in the International Sports and Fitness Trainers Association.
DC Directs Medical Team for Women's American Football League
During his chiropractic studies at Northwestern Health Sciences University, Dr. Sean Stringer was actively involved with the school's sports council. In February 2000, while finishing his studies, he was offered a position as medical director for the Women's Professional Football League (yes, tackle football).
You haven't heard of the WPFL? Well, it folded after one season, but in 2001 the league was reorganized as the Women's American Football League, and Dr. Stringer, a practitioner in Sarasota, Florida, accepted the position as medical director. Dr. Stringer is responsible for assembling the DCs, MDs, and ATs present at each of the games, and to lend a hand treating players when the Tampa team plays at home. "We want to compile an efficient and competent medical staff to work at our games," he explained. "We ask the best of the best to volunteer their time."
There are 16 teams in the league, ranging from Seattle, Washington, to Tampa, Florida, and the season runs from November 2001 to February 2002.
International Soccer Pro, Olympian, to Enroll at Palmer West
Garret Kusch, 28, has announced his retirement from professional and international soccer and his intention to enroll at Palmer Chiropractic College West in San Jose, California this September.
"Kuschy," or "Mr. Clean" as he is sometimes called, is a powerful 6'1," 200-pound forward from Richmond, B.C. Since 1994, he has played for teams in Sweden, Scotland, Belgium, England, and Canada. His career also includes playing nine times for the Canadian Olympic team.
Garret told the Vancouver Sun that he was disappointed in not fulfilling his final year with L/F Høenefoss of Norway, but injuries have limited his effectiveness, and he decided he didn't want to chance a debilitating injury that might jeopardize his new career choice.
"World's Greatest Job"
Susan Welsh,DC, a clinician in Odessa, Florida, is one active team chiropractor. She is the team chiropractor for the Tampa Bay Lightning (hockey), the Tampa Bay Storm (arena football), the Tampa Bay Mutiny (soccer), the University of South Florida athletic department, and Leto High School.
She also treats PGA pro Paul Azinger, who brings her flags from famous golf courses to add to her sports memorabilia wall.
"There's not a piece of memorabilia in here unless I've treated the person," Dr. Welsh told the St. Petersburg Times, which published a story on the doctor's sports memorabilia collection and her sporting patients: weekend warriors, Olympians and professional athletes. There's also the occasional Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, and visiting musician (Yanni) to treat.
Dr. Welsh told the Times, "I have the world's greatest job."
SC Chiropractor Gathers Food and Supplies for Shelter
Because of the efforts of South Carolina chiropractor Christopher Black and his wife, Margaret, the new year got off to a positive start for a number of less fortunate families in his hometown of Rock Hill.
The couple gathered food, cleaning supplies, baby items and other household goods by the truckload and delivered them to the Pilgrim's Inn, a facility that provides a homeless shelter, support for disabled and underprivileged children, and meals for over 9,000 people each year. They worked until the new year to gather items for the community center.
Dr. Black told the South Carolina Herald that he plans to make this an annual event, and hopes it will teach his daughters, 7-year-old Arielle and 3-year-old Scarlett, a valuable lesson.
"We are very fortunate, but that does not apply to everyone," he explained. "I want them to understand that you never know when you might be in need of help, and that it is better to give."
Supplement Seals of Approval
Dietary supplements, a $16-billion industry, are commonly touted for everything from building muscle mass to easing cold symptoms. Often the amounts of the ingredients promised by these products are inaccurate, however, and the effectiveness of many supplements is, to say the least, questionable.
Because of a congressional exemption, the supplement industry is not regulated, while medicines are under FDA scrutiny. For this reason, U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), a nonprofit agency that sets standards for many pharmaceuticals, is turning its attention to the integrity of the ingredients in supplements. The medical group intends to test batches of supplements, check the quality of the manufacturing standards, and award its seal of approval to supplements that pass scrutiny. According to USP, it is recognized in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) amendments to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as the "nation's official compendia for dietary supplement standards."
USP will not determine if supplements are safe, per se, but will notify the FDA if it finds evidence that a supplement constitutes a danger to the public.
For more information on USP, go to www.usp.org.
DCs Square off in Men's Senior Baseball World Series
PHOENIX,AZ - Terry Yochum, DC, of Denver, Colorado, and his Continental Classics team attempted to repeat their 1998 win in the Men's Senior Baseball World Series (50-and-over division), but lost in the semifinals to fellow chiropractor Tom Boisen's South Dakota team. Dr. Boisen's team lost to the Chicago Fire in the finals.
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