The College of Chiropractors of British Columbia (CCBC) is concerned that BC chiropractors require assistance with the proper implementation of the expectations for health professionals communicated by the Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, in her March 23, 2020 letter, as well as the directions issued by the CCBC further to those expectations.
In her March letter, Dr. Henry identified two critical expectations concerning in-person care by health professionals:
- All non-essential and elective services involving direct physical contact with patients and clients should be reduced to minimal levels, subject to allowable exceptions, until further notice.
- Allowable exceptions can be made for time-sensitive circumstances, and emergent, urgent, and/or essential care to avert or avoid negative patient or client outcomes, or to avert or avoid a situation that would have a direct impact on the safety of a patient or client.
On March 24, 2020, further to Dr. Henry’s letter, the CCBC directed that a chiropractor should only be providing in-person “emergent, urgent and/or essential care” in circumstances where
- the patient has an acute condition that requires immediate attention to relieve pain or because his or her daily activities are severely limited, and
- the chiropractor can ensure that care will be provided in a manner that provides adequate protection against the risks of COVID-19 infection.
To assist chiropractors in properly implementing these expectations and directions, the CCBC now issues the following standards for in-person chiropractic care effective immediately.
Standards for In-person Chiropractic Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic
For appointments already scheduled the steps for interviewing must still occur before that appointment.
If you have any questions, please contact the Registrar by email at: registrar@chirobc.com.
Sincerely,
Michelle Da Roza
Registrar