CONFERENCE REVIEW
Using Evidence as a Framework for Success. Chiropractic Australia National Conference 2019 By: Amber Beynon B.Sc. (Hons), B.Chiro
This year’s conference was held on Queensland’s Gold Coast, which proved to be a popular location to listen to some incredible presentations. After CA President Rod Bonello formally opened the conference and welcomed delegates, Professor Simon French took the podium for the FG Roberts Address in which he posed the question; “Is opportunity knocking, or is the door closing for chiropractic?” Reflecting on the growing recognition of the economic impact of spinal pain and that most guidelines routinely include SMT in their recommendations, Professor French noted that while on one hand this presents a “free kick at goal”, on the other there are recurrent negative media stories about chiropractic which are creating significant barriers and hurdles that appear to be closing doors. Professor French explored the journeys of the chiropractic professions in Canada and Denmark where they have achieved higher patient utilization rates through involvement in research to CA President Rod Bonello officially opens Conference 2019
bring credibility to the profession and break down interdisciplinary barriers. He mused on the need for more resources to support scholarships for PhDs and research projects, and to support career pathways for those who have gained their PhD. “Research is to improve practice. Not to prove practice.” was a noteworthy comment in his talk because in this regard there is a long journey ahead of us. Next up was the first of our international guests, Professor Dave Newell, from the UK. His first presentation “The Psycho in the room: Is chiropractic care more psychosocial than bio?” was prefaced by him eating a lemon! Why? Well you just had to be there... He unwrapped the finding that differing technique systems in chiropractic (and also psychology) tend to produce similar results and this is due to psychosocial influences such as placebo and contextually aided factors. Professor Newell was followed by another of our international
Professor Simon French delivers the FG Roberts address
speakers, Professor Stephen Perle who, having been a guest presenter on several occasions in the past, is no stranger to Australian shores. Professor Perle’s topic, “Technology tools
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Professor French mused on the need for more resources to support scholarships for PhDs and research projects, and to support career pathways for those who have gained their PhD.
to make using evidence in a busy practice”, introduced us to a range of “Apps” designed to scaffold deep learning i.e., take what you know, compare retained information, be critical, and come up with new answers. Easy! With a Master of Applied Science in Medical Imaging Dr Hazel Jenkins from Macquarie University was well qualified to present “X-ray imaging: When and when not to use it. What does the evidence say?” In presenting the evidence for taking X-rays Hazel mentioned ionizing radiation, however, most of her discussion focused on the many clinical guidelines, AHPRA legislation regarding evidence-based practice, clinical utility, poor screening
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CA NEWS SEPTEMBER 2019
