         
Code of Ethics
Preamble
The following code is adopted from American
Chiropractic Association (ACA) code of ethics. This Code of Ethics is based upon
the fundamental principle that the ultimate end and object of the chiropractor's
professional services and effort should be:
"The greatest good for the patient"
This Code of Ethics is for the guidance of the
members of the Organization with respect to responsibilities to patients, the
public and to fellow practitioners.
Section 1.01
Responsibility to the Patient
(a)
Doctors of chiropractic should
hold themselves ready at all times to respond to the call of those needing their
professional services, although they are free to accept or reject a particular
patient except in an emergency.
(b)
Doctors of chiropractic should
attend their patients as often as they consider necessary to insure the
well-being of their patients.
(c)
Having once undertaken to serve a
patient, doctors of chiropractic should not neglect the patient. Doctors of
chiropractic should take reasonable steps to protect their patients prior to
withdrawing their professional services; such steps shall include: due notice to
them allowing a reasonable time for obtaining professional services of others
and delivering to their patients all papers and documents in compliance with
Section19.01 (e) of this Code of Ethics.
(d)
Doctors of chiropractic should be
honest and endeavor to practice with the highest degree of professional
competency and honesty in the proper care of their patients.
(e)
Doctors of chiropractic should
comply with a patient's authorization to provide records, or copies of such
records, to those whom the patient designates as authorized to inspect or
receive all or part of such records. A reasonable charge may be made for the
cost of duplicating records.
(f)
Subject to the foregoing Section A
(5), doctors of chiropractic should preserve and protect the patient's
confidences and records, except as the patient directs or consents or the law
requires otherwise. They should not discuss a patient's history, symptoms,
diagnosis, or treatment with any third party until they have received the
written consent of the patient or the patient's personal representative. They
should not exploit the trust and dependency of their patients.
(g)
Doctors of chiropractic owe
loyalty, compassion and respect to their patients. Their clinical judgment and
practice should be objective and exercised solely for the patient's benefit.
(h)
Doctors of chiropractic should
recognize and respect the right of every person to free choice of chiropractors
or other health care providers and to the right to change such choice at will.
(i)
Doctors of chiropractic are
entitled to receive proper and reasonable compensation for their professional
services commensurate with the value of the services they have rendered taking
into consideration their experience, time required, reputation and the nature of
the condition involved. Doctors of chiropractic should terminate a professional
relationship when it becomes reasonably clear that the patient is not benefiting
from it. Doctors of chiropractic should support and participate in proper
activities designed to enable access to necessary chiropractic care on the part
of persons unable to pay such reasonable fees.
(j)
Doctors of chiropractic should
maintain the highest standards of professional and personal conduct, and should
refrain from all illegal conduct.
(k)
Doctors of chiropractic should be
ready to consult and seek the talents of other health care professionals when
such consultation would benefit their patients or when their patients express a
desire for such consultation.
(l)
Doctors of chiropractic should
employ their best good faith efforts that the patient possesses enough
information to enable an intelligent choice in regard to proposed chiropractic
treatment. The patient should make his or her own determination on such
treatment.
(m)
Doctors of chiropractic should
utilize only those laboratory and X-ray procedures, and such devices or
nutritional products that are in the best interest of the patient and not in
conflict with state statute or administrative rulings.
Section 1.02
Responsibility to the Public
(a)
Doctors of chiropractic should act
as members of a learned profession dedicated to the promotion of health, the
prevention of illness and the alleviation of suffering.
(b)
Doctors of chiropractic should
observe and comply with all laws, decisions and regulations of state
governmental agencies and cooperate with the pertinent activities and policies
of associations legally authorized to regulate or assist in the regulation of
the chiropractic profession.
(c)
Doctors of chiropractic should
comport themselves as responsible citizens in the public affairs of their local
community, state and nation in order to improve law, administrative procedures
and public policies that pertain to chiropractic and the system of health care
delivery. Doctors of chiropractic should stand ready to take the initiative in
the proposal and development of measures to benefit the general public health
and well-being, and should cooperate in the administration and enforcement of
such measures and programs to the extent consistent with law.
(d)
Doctors of chiropractic may
advertise but should exercise utmost care that such advertising is relevant to
health awareness, is accurate, truthful, not misleading or false or deceptive,
and scrupulously accurate in representing the chiropractor's professional status
and area of special competence. Communications to the public should not appeal
primarily to an individual's anxiety or create unjustified expectations of
results. Doctors of chiropractic should conform to all applicable state laws,
regulations and judicial decisions in connection with professional advertising.
(e)
Doctors of chiropractic should
continually strive to improve their skill and competency by keeping abreast of
current developments contained in the health and scientific literature, and by
participating in continuing chiropractic educational programs and utilizing
other appropriate means.
(f)
Doctors of chiropractic may
testify either as experts or when their patients are involved in court cases,
worker's compensation proceedings or in other similar administrative proceedings
in personal injury or related cases.
(g)
The chiropractic profession should
address itself to improvements in licensing procedures consistent with the
development of the profession and of relevant advances in science.
(h)
Doctors of chiropractic who are
public officers should not engage in activities which are, or may be reasonably
perceived to be in conflict with their official duties.
(i)
Doctors of chiropractic should
protect the public and reputation of the chiropractic profession by bringing to
the attention of the appropriate public or private organizations the actions of
chiropractors who engage in deception, fraud or dishonesty, or otherwise engage
in conduct inconsistent with this Code of Ethics or relevant provisions of
applicable law or regulations within their states.
Section 1.03
Responsibility to the Profession
(a)
Doctors of chiropractic should
assist in maintaining the integrity, competency and highest standards of the
chiropractic profession.
(b)
Doctors of chiropractic should by
their behavior, avoid even the appearance of professional impropriety and should
recognize that their public behavior may have an impact on the ability of the
profession to serve the public. Doctors of chiropractic should promote public
confidence in the chiropractic profession.
(c)
As teachers, doctors of
chiropractic should recognize their obligation to help others acquire knowledge
and skill in the practice of the profession. They should maintain high standards
of scholarship, education, training and objectivity in the accurate and full
dissemination of information and ideas.
(d)
Doctors of chiropractic should
attempt to promote and maintain cordial relationships with other members of the
chiropractic profession and other professions in an effort to promote
information advantageous to the public's health and well-being.
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