Bill allows New Jersey’s chiropractors to enhance the way they treat and manage patients.
On January 18, 2010, former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed new scope-of-practice legislation that will benefit not only the chiropractic profession in New Jersey but, more importantly, the state’s chiropractic patients.
This legislation updates a practice statute that was outdated and overly restrictive. The signing marks the first time New Jersey’s scope-of-practice regulations have been amended since 1953.
Dr. Steven Clarke, president of the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC), says, “We are very proud of our efforts on behalf of this bill and the impact it will have not just for the chiropractic profession, but, most importantly, the one million patients we treat statewide each year that benefit from chiropractic care.”
Key points of the new scope-of-practice stipulations:
• Makes it unlawful for any person, other than a N.J. licensed chiropractor, to render a utilization management decision that limits, restricts, or curtails a course of chiropractic care.
• Consistent with chiropractic practice, allows chiropractors to provide a full complement of diagnostic and analytical tests similar to other physicians.
• Permits chiropractors to provide dietary/nutritional counseling, and the ability to dispense nutritional supplements.
• The term chiropractic subluxation is written into the statute for the first time.
• Permits chiropractors to diagnose, analyze, and treat all joints and soft tissues of the body independent of spinal subluxation.
• Splinting and bracing will be put into law so that collars, braces, and sports taping are forever adjuncts to chiropractic care.
• Requires chiropractors to maintain malpractice liability insurance.
• Requires chiropractors to complete 30 credits for continuing education every two years.
• Permits chiropractors to administer physical modalities and therapeutic, rehabilitative, and strengthening exercises.
• Chiropractors can sign or certify temporary or permanent impairments and other certifications consistent with a chiropractic practice, such as pre-employment screenings.
The ability to provide dietary and nutritional counseling is particularly noteworthy. Despite the fact that nutrition is a basic element of chiropractic training, New Jersey had been the only state in the nation whose chiropractors were unable to provide this crucial service to patients.
At Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation Center, we provide nutritional education and support through consultation, and look forward to guiding you down the path to total wellness and nutritional health.
There is one stipulation, however, that will not affect our practice: the requirement for continued education. While there are many chiropractors in New Jersey, there are few as dedicated to continued education as the team of practitioners at Monmouth Spine and Rehabilitation Center.
