"It is so exciting to have Dr. Yochum in class," said student Sarah Schaefer. "His ability to inspire and motivate students is obvious from the first lecture you attend. I am not at all surprised that he continues to win this award."
Dr. Yochum, a second-generation DC, is a cum laude graduate of the National College of Chiropractic, and an adjunct and visiting clinical professor at Marycrest's Colorado College of Chiropractic in Denver. He is a diplomat eof the American Chiropractic Board of Radiology, and served as its vice president and president between 1983 and 1990. In 1996, Dr. Yochum became the youngest person to be named a "Fellow" by the American Chiropractic College of Radiology (ACCR). The title of Fellow is the highest honor awarded to any member of the ACCR for distinguished service and contributions in the advancement of chiropractic radiology; only eight DACBRs have received this award since the inception of the ACCR in 1958.
"I consider it a great honor to receive this recognition from my students," said Dr. Yochum. "I feel that my students give far more to me than I can ever give to them."
Dr. Yochum is the director of the Rocky Mountain Chiropractic Radiological Center in Denver, Colorado, and also holds an adjunct appointment at the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. He was honored with an appointment to the department of radiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine as a skeletal radiologist, where he has been on staff since 1991. Dr. Yochum has presented over 1,000 lectures worldwide, has published over 200 scientific articles in the chiropractic and medical literature, and is the author of two textbooks.
"Dr. Yochum is a phenomenal educator, and we are honored and privileged to have him as part of our faculty,"said Dr. Doug Davison, executive dean of the Colorado College of Chiropractic. "He has helped our new college immensely, and has shown no end to his dedication to the students of this profession."
AMI Offers Provisional Credentialing Program to NUHS Students
HIGHLAND PARK, IL Alternative Medicine, Inc. (AMI), a leader in providing fully integrated traditional and alternative health care, is providing chiropractic students at National University of Health Sciences the opportunity for provisional credentialing prior to graduation.
AMI credentials doctors of chiropractic as primary care physicians. (See "DCs As Primary Care Providers" in the February 12, 2001 issue, or on line at www.chiroweb.com/archives/19/04/20.html) . Once a student receives provisional credentialing, the graduate needs to complete two years of practice to be eligible to apply for and achieve full credential status. AMI has incorporated the National Commision for Quality Assurance (NCQA) standards, and conducted its first testing date in July 2001.
"We're very excited about AMI's willingness to offer this credentialing program to our students," said NUHS President Dr. James Winterstein. "Having the opportunity to be credentialed through AMI will demonstrate that our students are educated at the highest level of the profession and are prepared to give patients fully integrated care," he added.
"Our credentialing program establishes superior standards regarding the scope and quality of care rendered by doctors of chiropractic, and requires the understanding and practice of fully integrated medicine," observed James Zechman, CEO of AMI.
The American Chiropractic Association, formally recognized AMI's wellness model in April 2001, as has the American Academy of Chiropractic Physicians.
Dr. Gary Walsemann, ICA's Chiropractor of the Year
At the ICA's 75th annual meeting in Washington, D.C., in June, Gary Walsemann,DC, was awarded the association's highest accolade, "Chiropractor of the Year," for his decades of service and leadership in the chiropractic profession, and outstanding contributions to his community.
A 1967 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, Dr. Walsemann has been in practice in Claremont, New Hampshire for 33 years. He has served as an officer for nearly 20 years, and has been a member of its board for nearly a decade. He is the current chairperson of the ICA's legal affairs committee, and has served for four years as chairman of the ICA's chiropractic practice guidelines.
"Dr. Walsemann has been an exceptional leader and role model in the chiropractic profession throughout his career," said ICA President Dr. D.D. Humber. "He has earned the respect and appreciation of his professional peers for the work that he has done on behalf of the chiropractic profession and the health of the public. He continues to set a powerful example through his generosity, his record of accomplishment, his integrity and his humility. No one is more deserving of this recognition than Dr. Walsemann."
Dr. Walsemann's wife, Susan, is also a Palmer graduate. He is also an active member of the New Hampshire Straight Chiropractic Society, and a deacon of his church. He shares a practice with his son, Jeff, and son-in-law Dr. Doug Roberts.
Legislative Initiatives
Two legislative initiatives have been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives that aim to open up access to chiropractic services for nearly 20 million Americans through the Medicare and Federal Employees Health Benefits programs.
Medicare: H.R. 2284, the Clinical Social Work Medicare Equity Act of 2001, introduced by John Lewis (D-GA) on June 21, would expand the list of services reimbursed under Medicare to include examinations and x-ray services. The bill would also provide that only doctors of chiropractic are authorized todeliver chiropractic services under Medicare.
Representative Lewis, a longtime chiropractic advocate in the House, stated in a letter to his congressional colleagues that:
"This legislation is designed to make chiropractic services accessible to more of our senior citizens, on an equitable and competitive basis. I believe that each of our citizens should have access to the health care services of their choice. This is particularly true in the area of chiropractic because of the highly cost-effective, drug-free, natural approach to health and health care that chiropractic care offers. There is no doubt that those Medicare beneficiaries who seek the care of a doctor of chiropractic would, if they did not have that option, be seeking standard medical care, often involving highly expensive specialists. Thus, rather than costing Medicare more, this bill will end up saving Medicare money."
The only chiropractic service paid for by Medicare is "manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation."
Federal Employees Health Benefits: HR 2087, the Federal Employees Access to Chiropractic Health Care Act of 2001, was introduced in June by Vermont Representative Bernard Sanders. The initiative is intended to enhance the quality of care and increase competition in federal employees' health benefits programs by insuring that beneficiaries in these programs have the right to access chiropractic care.
South Carolina Chiropractic Association Selects Officers/Directors
Board members and directors were elected by the South Carolina Chiropractic Association at its annual business meeting in Hilton Head. The new board officers are DC's John Davila (president); Roger Roff (president elect); Gary Weaver (secretary/treasurer); and Ralph Roles (past president).
Installed as district directors were Dr. Brad Fraum (district one) and Dr. Jon Etheridge (district three); reinstalled directors included Dr. W. Dean Banks (district five), Dr. Norman Ouzis, Jr. (district seven), and Dr. Robert Ivey Jr. (district nine). The officers will serve terms expiring in 2003.
Dr. Barnathan Speaks at Kennedy Space Center
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL Jack Barnathan,DC, of Melville, New York, dubbed "the strength doctor" for his work with athletes, addressed a group of scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Admin-istration's (NASA) Ken-nedy Space Center in June. Dr. Barnathan's presentation was taped by NASA Television, and will be aired over a cable outlet.
Among those in attendance was Dr. Irene Duhart Long, chief medical officer at the Kennedy Space Center. Following his address, Dr. Barnathan had the opportunity to discuss chiropractic's role in the area of fitness with Dr. Long, including Dr. Kimberly Ryder's NASA-funded research at New York Chiropractic College.
Dr. Barnathan was given a tour of the Space Center, including a visit to launch pad 39A, where the Space Shuttle Atlantis was being prepared for its next mission.
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