Managed care insurance plans (i.e. HMOs) often require a referral from our office BEFORE seeing a specialist or visiting a laboratory or radiology facility. It is your responsibility to determine whether a referral is necessary. If you have seen a specialist without a referral, but require one based on your health plan, you will NOT be issued a retroactive referral. You will be financially responsible for that visit .
Regarding referrals for chiropractors:
I believe there is a role for chiropractors in our community. When it comes to pain and musculoskeletal problems AND MEDICAL OPTIONS HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED, I believe a chiropractor or acupuncturist could be considered. Referral to a chiropractor will ONLY be issued by me if a patient has seen an orthopedist, neurologist, and/or a physical or massage therapist first.
As relates to some chiropractors' beliefs that they can affect medical processes with spinal manipulation, I am a staunch opponent of the chiropractic field. In my medical opinion, babies cannot be cured of colic by chiropractic. Allergies and asthma cannot be cured or affected by chiropractic. Manipulation by a chiropractor cannot prevent devastating childhood illnesses, which many studies have shown necessitate the administration of vaccines such as DTaP, Hib, polio, MMR, Varivax ("chicken pox vaccine"), Prevnar (pneumococcal vaccine), Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and others.
Chiropractors can be used to affect changes in the musculoskeletal system, just as an optometrist treats the eyes or a podiatrist treats feet. However, when they start extending themselves and claiming that manipulation can affect the physiology of the body (i.e. how the body systems work), I think they are extending themselves too far. This is similar to me claiming that I am an expert on infectious diseases or pediatric surgery. I don't claim to be able to do more than I know or to able to do more with medicine than can be done. Chiropractors should not do that either.
If you would like to discuss pediatric specialty or chiropractic care with me further, please call the office to make an appointment.
