Position Statement on Group Care Visits for Practice Members

We fully support an individual’s rights to choice and freedom in health care, healing environments and community. We also support and encourages an individual’s rights to privacy and effective case management. While there has been recent contention in the political and legal conversation regarding group visits and open chiropractic care plans in offices, we believe this office format as effective, safe, supportive and one that can enhance the progress and results of an individual office visit, while provide unique benefits. Any attempt by government or regulatory boards that restricts a patient’s rights, or a practitioner’s choice to serve patients in a community group setting, is a fundamental infringement on patient health care freedom.

Studies have shown a growing number of health care providers across professions and institutions moving towards open or group sessions for consultation, discussion, interventions and treatment. Findings have shown improved care, enhanced effectiveness of treatments, decreased malpractice and improved patient satisfaction. Overall, group visits appear to provide an effective and complementary strategy to traditional primary health care in dealing with the complexities of clients with chronic illness, providing lifestyle behavior counseling, with the elderly, and with general populations seeking wellness care with providers.

Reorganizational Healing modalities, such as Network Spinal Analysis care and Somato Respiratory Integration exercises, have been applied in a group setting for over two decades in offices around the world. Hundreds of thousands of clients have received care in this manner reporting successful outcomes. The group setting for understanding of care, answering of questions, the sharing of answers, the healing and wellness experience and the enhancement of the energetic and informational field between individuals is a significant asset and benefit that often can exceed what is available during a private individual session.

In conclusion, the community group care option appears to support enhanced well-being, education, safety, quality of life, a sense of belonging in community and overall improved patient outcomes. 

Additional Resources on Group Visits

Shared medical visits in the US are gaining popularity.  Wall Street Journal

"Group consultations may improve metabolic control in the medium term by inducing more appropriate health behaviors. They are feasible in everyday clinical practice without increasing working hours."   Diabetes Care

“there is sufficient data to support the effectiveness of group visits in improving patient and physician satisfaction, quality of care, quality of life, and in decreasing emergency department and specialist visits.”  Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine

“Overall, group visits appear to provide an effective and complementary strategy to traditional primary care in dealing with the complexities of providing chronic disease management in an increasingly complex and aging population.”   American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

“Group care by systemic education is feasible in an ordinary diabetes clinic and cost-effective in preventing the deterioration of metabolic control and quality of life in Type II diabetes without increasing pharmacological treatment.”    Diabetologia

"This is not a novelty; it's really a necessity for saving primary care."