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New Zealand
U.S. Colleges Affiliate With New Zealand School To Create Chiropractic Program Development
In what may serve as a model for international public/private partnership in chiropractic education, five United States chiropractic colleges have affiliated with the New Zealand School of Chiropractic in Auckland to assist in forming the first chiropractic college in New Zealand with ongoing development of educational and clinical programs.

Noel Pierson, board chairman for the eight-year-old New Zealand School said, “The trustees welcome these exciting affiliation opportunities. This partnership provides for shared financial and human resources for program development with efforts focused toward attracting chiropractic students from the United States, Australia and Pacific rim countries.”

The five partnership colleges include Cleveland Chiropractic College—Kansas City, Cleveland Chiropractic College—Los Angeles, Palmer College of Chiropractic, Palmer College West and Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic. The affiliated colleges seek to provide leadership and serve as a resource facilitating the development of international chiropractic programs.

Carl Cleveland, III, D.C., spokesperson for the affiliated colleges stated, “The New Zealand School fully subscribes to the chiropractic paradigm as developed by the Association of Chiropractic Colleges and maintains a quality academic program that has internalized clinical competencies parallel to the standards of the Council on Chiropractic Education - USA. The school is positioned to emerge as a major influence for chiropractic education in the South Pacific region.”

CEO of the New Zealand school, Robin Taylor, D.C., said, “The students, faculty and administration eagerly embrace this new affiliation and look forward to even greater development and strengthening of the New Zealand School program through this partnership.”

Dr. Guy F. Riekeman, president of the Palmer colleges, added, “Alumni from the affiliated colleges comprise a major influence in this part of the world. They will now have a convenient location to refer students for an education in line with their values and traditions.”

Jerry L. Hardee, Ed.D., president of Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic said, “Sherman College is proud to be a part of this initiative to enhance and promote the profession in New Zealand and the Pacific rim. We look forward to a long and sustained working relationship with all of the colleges involved in this effort.”

The New Zealand School, a private nonprofit institution founded in 1994, receives government funding. Chiropractic students in Australia are eligible to attend the school through the trans-Australian agreement. Information on the school may be obtained by e-mail at school@nzchiro.co.nz.


Norway
Recent Survey Examines Communication
Between General Physicians and ChiropractorsResearchers Jennifer Langworthy, M.Phil., and Jeppe Birkelid, B.Sc.(hons) human sciences (chiropractic), conducted a study, General Practice and Chiropractic in Norway: How Well Do They Communicate and What Do GPs Want to Know?, to investigate existing levels of communication between the two types of professionals in Norway and to identify trends in GP preferences for future communications. In the past, former studies showed that chiropractors were remiss in providing written reports to referring physicians.

Langworthy and Birkelid sent out 230 surveys to random general practitioners throughout Norway, and 51 percent of the surveys were returned. The responding doctors reported that they all have made at least one referral to a chiropractor; most (63 percent) referred infrequently and only 7 percent communicated often with a chiropractor. Of those in contact with a chiropractor, 75 percent of communications were by telephone. One-fifth of respondents negatively assessed the quality of written reports. Approximately one-third of those GPs who had referred patients did not receive a report, despite this being obligatory in Norway. Twelve percent reported problems with terminology. A written report for future reporting was favored by 75 percent of the GPs; they wanted the report to contain information on examination findings, diagnosis, care and advice given.

As a result, the survey concluded that general communication between the two groups in Norway is not ideal at this time, especially in the area of frequency and quality of the reports. They recommended that chiropractors should work harder at timely, consistent reporting to help general practitioners gain a greater understanding of chiropractic and improved communications for the benefit of patient management.

© Copyright 2002 Today's Chiropractic

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