Mather Hospital has established a Chiropractic Collaboration to provide coordinated patient care, education and outreach to patients who access both medical and chiropractic care. The Collaboration Program has more than 70 members from the Hamptons to Commack and is the first of its kind on Long Island.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, approximately 20 million Americans a year, or 8 percent of the population, seek chiropractic 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, President of Mather’s Medical Staff and a board certified orthopedic surgeon.
Today, chiropractors are the third largest group of healthcare providers, after physicians and dentists, who provide direct patient care. American Medical Association policy supports physicians associating professionally with chiropractors and referring patients to them for diagnostic or therapeutic services.
"In order to participate in Mather’s program, chiropractors must undergo a peer review of their credentials and work history and demonstrate that they are in good standing with various professional and regulatory agencies," said David BenEliyahu, DC, Director of Chiropractic Relations at Mather Hospital. Doctors of Chiropractic Medicine graduate from chiropractic schools currently accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education, which is fully recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Before chiropractors can practice, they must be licensed by their state. All states require them to pass the National Chiropractic Board examination.
Chiropractic services are covered by most insurance plans, including HMOs, PPOs, union plans, Medicare,
No Fault and Workers’ Compensation. Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that focuses on the relationship between the body’s structure—mainly the spine—and its functioning. Practitioners use a variety of treatment approaches and perform adjustments to the spine or other parts of the body with the goal of correcting alignment problems, alleviating pain, improving function and supporting the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Many people go to chiropractors for low-back pain. Spinal adjustment can also benefit some people with headaches, neck pain, extremity problems, jaw pain associated with TMJ and whiplash-related disorders.