Introduction: Health care providers in a primary care setting must appropriately case-manage patients with a broad range of conditions and complaints. Palmer College clinic outreach programs provide chiropractic care to indigent and underserved populations and are an invaluable clinical learning experience. This study describes an example of such service.
Data/Methods: Retrospective records review of 463 patient visits from an outreach service trip. The trip provided free chiropractic care to North American Indian Days participants, sponsored by Blackfeet Tribal Nation. Demographics, presenting complaints, self-reported comorbidities, current medication use, injuries, and surgeries are reported.
Results: Fifty four percent of patients were female; 19% were under age 18. Of patients over 18, 70% were 19-45 y/o.. Main complaints were for 1 or more musculoskeletal/pain conditions: back (51%), neck (18%), lower extremity (6%), upper extremity (5%) and/or headache (3%). “Wellness/check-up” were 2.5%. Patients reported 1 or more comorbid conditions (48%). Currently using medications: 17%; 15% report past/scheduled surgery, and almost 19% history of fracture.
Conclusions: Outreach clinic programs can help increase access to care and provide a diverse and enriched clinical learning experience. Broad clinical training can improve chiropractic diagnostic skills and enhance clinical reasoning. Such may also further strengthen capacity of chiropractors to render appropriate, high quality, primary service.
Learning Objectives: 1. Recognize the importance of service-learning to chiropractic education. 2. Describe chiropractic outreach patient populations. 3. Discuss chiropractic service-learning as it relates to improving access to care
Keywords: Access to Health Care, Chiropractic
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.