Mather Hospital’s Chiropractic Collaboration Program provides coordinated patient care, education and outreach to patients who access both medical and chiropractic care. The Collaboration has 52 members from Watermill to Huntington, and was the first of its kind on Long Island.

American Medical Association policy supports physicians associating professionally with chiropractors and referring patients to them for diagnostic or therapeutic services.

“For those patients who seek both chiropractic and medical care for their ailments, it makes sense that we coordinate and collaborate on their care with our area chiropractors for the best treatments and outcomes,” said Richard Savino, MD, former President of Mather’s Medical Staff and a board certified orthopedic surgeon.

Recently, the Joint Commission and the American College of Physicians supported the use of spinal manipulation in their published treatment guidelines for back pain.

The chiropractors in Mather’s program participated in a peer review of their credentials and work history and demonstrated that they were in good standing with various professional and regulatory agencies.

For more information about the Chiropractic Collaboration, contact Dr. David BenEliyahu, Director, at (631) 686-1445, or email him at dbeneliyahu@northwell.edu

What Is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems and the effects of these disorders on general health. Doctors of chiropractic, who are often referred to as DCs or chiropractors, practice a drug-free, hands-on manual approach that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. In addition to their expertise in spinal manipulation/adjustment, doctors of chiropractic have broad diagnostic skills, and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.

DCs are well known for caring for patients with back pain, neck pain and headaches with their highly skilled spinal mobilization, manipulation, and adjunctive therapy procedures such as ultrasound, muscle stimulation and myofascial release. They also care for patients with a wide range of injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system involving the muscles, ligaments, discs, and joints.

Chiropractic manipulation or adjustment is a manual procedure, in which DCs use their hands, a specialized table or an instrument to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore or enhance disc and joint function. This often helps resolve nerve and joint inflammation and reduce pain. The DC adapts the procedures to meet the specific needs of the patient.

DCs are licensed to practice in all 50 states and undergo a rigorous education in the healing sciences, with a significant portion of that time spent in clinical training. The course of study is approved by an accrediting agency which is fully recognized by the US Department of Education. Before they are allowed to practice, DCs must pass national board examinations and become state licensed.

Information provided by the American Chiropractic Association