Chiropractors and collaborative care: An overview illustrated with a case report.

Although not typical, there appears to be a growing trend of chiropractors working within collaborative care settings. We use a case report to highlight features of patient care and education related to chiropractic practice within a collaborative care model. This paper hopes to offer some insight into how a chiropractor might fit into a collaborative setting and what training might help them to function effectively. The case report used is an example where a chiropractor provided a secondary diagnosis and complementary care not previously considered by the allied team resulting in symptom control and return to work by the patient. By the nature of a chiropractor's ability to provide a primary or secondary musculoskeletal diagnosis, they have the capacity to offer an additive approach to patient care within collaborative care models. However, chiropractors wishing to work in these environments, such as a family health team, would benefit from further education.

Riva JJ, Muller GD, Hornich AA, Mior SA, Gupta A, Burnie SJ. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2010 Sep;54(3):147-54. Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario