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OUR HISTORY

On November 9, 2019, in conjunction with the ChiroCongress annual convention in San Diego, CA, the Future of Chiropractic Forum was held and stakeholders from across the country were invited to participate in this historic event. Representatives from state association leadership, colleges, national organizations, corporate partners, individual practitioners, and more joined together to share their viewpoints through a facilitated discussion focused on what the future of chiropractic looks like in the next 50 years with a goal of identifying a specific effort that a diverse group of individuals and organizations could support. It was concluded that the profession needs a strategic plan. ChiroCongress agreed to take on the coordination of this effort on behalf of the profession and to dedicate resources to help manage the project.

In August of 2020, that visionary idea became The Future of Chiropractic Visioning and Strategic Planning Project.  Massive quantitative and qualitative data gathering, from all corners of the profession, successfully identified common goals and priorities. Intensely spirited and collaborative workgroup sessions, representing the breadth of the profession, accomplished the heavy-lift of creating an actionable, measurable plan. Eighteen months after the idea was born, an historic 2021 – 2026 strategic plan has been developed.

The Strategic Plan’s goals and objectives:

  • Reflect the voices of nearly four thousand (4,000) chiropractic professionals.
  • Each goal, as well as the language included, has been debated, discussed, and ultimately agreed upon by professionals representing the diverse philosophies, practice styles, and careers, which make up the chiropractic profession.
  • The implementation and follow-through of this plan will be led by a coalition of volunteers, who will continue to represent the full spectrum of chiropractic and are committed to advancing the profession as a whole.

PHASE I – Data Collection

Concluded on March 5, 2021

PHASE ONE documents the collective development of shared vision, mission, core values and high-level strategic priorities. This work has been accomplished with outstanding industry input, with close to 4,000 people who have participated. This participation has been widespread, with good representation geographically and across industry experience, types of practices and different schools of thought. The Phase I of the Future of Chiropractic Strategic Visioning and Planning project has achieved some very clear direction and mandate to now move on and develop a bold strategic plan. There is strong data-driven support for the high-level vision, mission, values and strategic priorities. This has been validated with dedicated focus groups, interviews and stakeholder sessions. This outcome positions the profession well to now move to Phase 2, which is the development of an agreed strategic action plan.
VIEW TIMELINE AND PROGRESS DETAILS

Phase I – Data Collection Timeline & Progress

  • November 9, 2019 – Future of Chiropractic Forum, San Diego, CA (completed)
  • January 29, 2020 – First Task Force Meeting, Washington, D.C. (completed)
  • February 26, 2020 – Request for Proposals released to seek project facilitator (completed)
  • March 14, 2020 – Task Force Meeting, Charlotte, N.C. (completed)
    • 3 Proposals received and considered
    • Task Force determines to release RFP to seek additional proposals
  • May – August, 2020 – Task Force reviews 11 additional proposals and conducts two rounds of interviews with 4 candidate agencies and/or individuals (completed)
  • August 17, 2020 – Task Force meets virtually to select facilitator (completed)
  • October 15, 2020 – Strategic Planning Agencies Sharity and Future iQ selected for phases 1 and 2. (completed)
  • October 16, 2020 – Project kick-off meeting with Sharity, Future iQ and ChiroCongress Strategic Plan Steering Committee (formerly ChiroCongress Strategic Plan Task Force) (completed)
  • October 19, 2020 – OnStrategy selected for phase 3 – implementation of the strategic plan estimated to start in 2021 (completed)
  • October 19, 2020 – Overview of 3 phases of the project uploaded to website – view Document Link to the right for more information. (completed)
  • November 2, 2020 – Stakeholder Survey Launched – Take the Survey! Open through November 30, 2020. (In process)
  • November 2, 2020 – Project Portal goes live. Visit the Portal! See updates on data collection, trends, and more.
  • November 6, 2020 – Project presentation to The Chiropractic Summit in Orlando, Florida. Meet and greet with Sharity team leaders, Carol Wick and Karen Pelot. (completed)
  • November 11, 2020 – Project presentation to ChiroCongress State Association Leaders at the virtual annual convention by Sharity and Future iQ (David Beurle and Heather Branigin). (completed)
  • November 14, 2020 – Media Kits made available to national stakeholder groups. Media Kit 1 and Media Kit 2 with downloadable graphics, press release, marketing blurbs, etc. (completed)
  • November 19, 2020 – Facebook Live event to NCMIC student group (completed)
  • November 23, 2020 – Strategic Plan Committee Meeting #2 – Data updates: 1995 surveys completed to date, cohort formation planning (see dates below), think tank sessions, discussion board participation, etc. (completed)
  • November 30, 2020 – Weekly Project Update Email
  • December 4, 2020 – Deadline for national survey to be completed (upcoming) (Closed) 3,415 Responses Received – See Heat Map of participation by state
  • December 11, 2020 – Discussion Boards Open
    • Topic 1: Acceptance of the Chiropractic Profession
    • Topic 2: Cost of Education and Student Loans
    • Topic 3: Professional Unification
    • Topic 4: Industry 4.0 Disruptions
  • December 21, 2020 – Cohort Group 1 – Early Career DCs (0-5 years in Practice). Meeting 3-5pm EST (completed)
  • December 22, 2020 – Cohort Group 2 – DCs Practicing 5+ Years – Meeting 3-5pm EST (completed)
  • December 28, 2020 – Cohort Group 3 – Chiropractic Research/Regulation – Meeting 3-5pm EST (completed)
  • Survey data goes live on project portal. Key Drivers Average Data  | Key Drivers of Change by Years in Practice | Key Drivers of Change by Practice Style | Key Drivers of Change by Years in Practice plus Practice Style
  • January 8, 2020 – Key Driver Workshop – (completed)
  • January 13, 2020 – Cohort Group 5 – Chiropractic Students – (completed)
  • January 14, 2021 – Cohort Group 4 – Chiropractic Education Leadership/Faculty – Meeting 3-5pm EST (completed)
  • January 29, 2021 – Think Tank Session – Cohort Groups will participate in a future scenario think tank session. 1-3pm EST (completed) 

Discussion Board Topics (Completed & Closed) – If you would like the responses in these discussion boards, they are available upon request by emailing lizz@chirocongress.org
Topic #1: Acceptance of the Chiropractic profession
Topic #2: Cost of Education and Student Loans
Topic #3: Professional Unification
Topic #4: Industry 4.0 Disruptions
Topic #5: Competition Within the Healthcare Industry
Topic #6: Professional Healthcare Practitioners Workforce
Topic #7: Promotion Messaging and Advocacy
Topic #8: National Scope of Practice
Topic #9: Integration Into Healthcare Settings
Topic #10: Educational and Care Standards
Topic #11: Compensation for Chiropractic Care
Topic #12: Leadership Within the Profession
Topic #13: High Costs of Eldercare
Topic #14: Impacts of an Aging Population
Topic #15: Broader Access to Healthcare
Topic #16: Growing Health and Wellness Movement

Expected and Preferred Future Workshops
These workshops are part of the strategic visioning and planning process for the future of the chiropractic profession looking out to 2030. At these workshops you learn about results from the Future Perceptions Survey and the Future of Chiropractic Think-Tank and explore a range of plausible futures for the profession. (completed)
Dates/Times

  • Monday, February 15, 12:00pm EST (completed)
  • Wednesday, February 17, 8:00am EST (completed)
  • Friday, February 19, 11:30am EST (completed)
  • Tuesday, February 23, 10:00am EST (completed)
  • Thursday, February 25, 1:00pm EST (completed)

 
The Future Summit – March 5, 2021 (completed)
This event marked the conclusion of Phase I of The Future of Chiropractic Strategic Plan, the launch pad for Phase II – development of the Strategic Plan. Phase I was designed to gather significant and relevant data, leading to the discovery and confirmation of commonly shared priorities for the future state of the profession.

PHASE II – Data Synthesis &
Plan Development

Concluded on June 4, 2021

Phase II outlines the purpose, process, participants, and outcomes of the Future of Chiropractic Strategic Planning Project. The goal of this project was to bring the profession together to build a grassroots, inclusive, and collaborative plan, for the benefit of the profession as a whole.

This project was designed to invite all facets of the profession to participate in identifying common goals and developing plans that will carry chiropractic into the future, as an essential and thriving profession. Nearly 4,000 individuals participated in Phase I of the project. Through the intensive quantitative and qualitative data gathering process – online surveys, focus groups, workshops, and one-on-one interviews – common ground emerged overarching values, visionary goals, and strategic priorities were identified.

VIEW TIMELINE AND PROGRESS DETAILS

Phase II – Plan Development Timeline & Progress

  • Strategic Plan Task Force Volunteer Signup – Phase 2 of the strategic started on March 10, 2021. Task force volunteers rolled-up their sleeves to work on developing an executable strategic plan, born from the commonly shared priorities identified through Phase I, Volunteers worked with the facilitators and committed to four meetings over an eight-week period.
  • Volunteers were assigned to a specific task force group and met every-other week, to build out the tactical plan for implementation. The task force meetings will began March 10, 2021 and concluded May 5, 2022.
  • Up-to 20 volunteers per task force group focused their efforts on one of the following four areas:
    • Group A – Professional Identity 
    • Group B – Research 
    • Group C – Utilization 
    • Group D – Legislation 
  • April 17, 2021 – Strategic Plan Project Update – Tampa, Florida at Saddlebrook Resort
    • Approximately 50 people participated in the hybrid in-person and virtual event and provided data and input into the four strategic focus areas.
    • Over $70,000 was pledged to support the project during the event from individuals, state and national associations, and corporate partners!
  • June 4, 2021 – Phase II Final Presentation presented by Carol Wick & Karen Pelot (Sharity/Perspectives respectively)
    • Outcomes of the Phase II strategic plan development process shared
    • Overview of Phase III and implementation 
    • Application opens to participate in an implementation committee
  • June 30, 2021 – Conclusion of Phase II. 

Strategic Plan Committee

  • Dr. Dan Spencer (MI)
  • Dr. Gerald Stevens (NY)
  • Dr. Jay Greenstein (D.C.)
  • Dr. Brenda Holland (WI)
  • Marc Abla (IL)
  • Dr. Ray Foxworth (MS)
  • Dr. Tom Wetzen (VA)
  • Tiffany Stevens (TN)
  • John Murray (WI)
  • Dr. Brian Stenzler (CA)
  • Dr. Chad Carpenter (TX)
  • Dr. Tom Klapp (MI)
  • Dr. Rachel Wendt (CO)
  • Dr. Garry Baldwin (WA)
  • Dr. Julie Bird (IL)
  • Barbara Contessa (NY)
  • Kristine Dowell (MI)
  • Dr. Don Cross (FL)