ON Spinal Chat

With a growing number of Canadians interested in self-care as we transition from the pandemic, Dr. Dwight Chapin, the OCA’s Chiropractor of the Year in 2018 wrote: "Take Good Care: 7 Wellness Rituals for Health, Strength and Hope." To bring evidence-based research to life, he engaged 21 influential Canadians, such as Jann Arden and Michael "Pinball" Clemons, to share their unique approaches to sel...

In part two of this series on pain management, Dr. Demetry Assimakopoulos returns to provide a more in-depth view of the work chiropractors do at the Comprehensive Pain Program at the University Health Network (UHN) and the Pain and Wellness Centre in Vaughan. Both these clinics were founded and led by Dr. Angela Mailis, a physiatrist, pain physician, clinical professor, and leading authority on t...

Having led innovative interdisciplinary clinics focused on treating pain and preserving wellness for more than 40 years, Dr. Angela Mailis believes interprofessional collaboration is the best way to deliver pain management. In this part one episode of a two-part series we chat with Dr. Mailis, a physiatrist, specialist pain physician, clinical professor, and leading authority on the diagnosis and...

In part two of this series on OCA's advocacy work to advance the chiropractic profession, Caroline Pinto, Managing Principal, of Counsel Public Affairs , returns to outline OCA’s current strategy, objectives, and some of the activities it will undertake to support them. In this episode, we’ll also chat about OCA's Local Leaders Program and how OCA members can get involved and help drive results. T...

Advocating for you, our profession, and our patients is a key part of our work. But what does this mean in the context of a member-based organization like the OCA? In this two-part series on advocacy to advance the profession, we’ll define advocacy, outline OCA’s approach, achievements, strategy, and how you can get involved. Tune into this part one episode to hear what advocacy entails, including...

While the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions is not within a chiropractor’s scope of practice, Dr. Janet D’Arcy believes chiropractors like you can play an important role in identifying someone who may need assistance, helping them access practical resources and making appropriate referrals. In this episode, Dr. D’Arcy, a certified mental health first aid instructor and chiropract...

Rapid Access Clinics or. RACs for low back pain are designed to support not replace a chiropractor's care. They provide patients, who qualify for the program with a timely consultation on their low back condition and related symptoms to support their self-management. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Henry Candelaria, who has been involved in Ontario's RACs since 2012. Tune in to hear Dr. Candela...

Ontario has a few team-based programs for musculoskeletal (MSK) care and a number of you work in interdisciplinary/ interprofessional clinics – but there’s room for more opportunities. In this episode, we speak with Kristy Naulls, an award-winning Nurse Practitioner (NP) about how collaborative care is improving her clients' or patients’ outcomes. Kristy works at the Belleville Nurse Practitioner-...

The pandemic prompted many changes. So, OCA commissioned an Environics Research survey last fall to learn how it has affected Ontarians’ attitudes, goals and behaviours about their health care, including chiropractic care. In this episode, we speak with Nancy Gale, OCA’s VP, Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Management who led this project to discuss highlights of this research. Nancy outli...

Even though restrictions are lifting, experts predict Covid-19 will be with us for some time. In this episode, we check in with Dr. Erika Kuehnel, an Ontario chiropractor, registered massage therapist and multidisciplinary clinic owner. We discuss lessons learned and how you can lead forward in a Covid world. As a member of OCA’s Return to Practice Working Group, Dr. Kuehnel, also took an extra de...

In 2020, the Ontario Chiropractic Association (OCA) formed the Evidence-based Framework Advisory Council with a mandate to help develop a shared understanding or framework around what exactly evidence-based practice means for chiropractic care.  In this episode, we check in with Caroline Brereton, OCA's CEO, to hear about the Evidence-based Framework Advisory Council (EBFAC), its goals, the proces...

This episode will provide you with practical research and insights on proven approaches to effectively assess, diagnose and treat patients with spinal stenosis and other forms of arthritis. Hear 'world expert in spinal stenosis' Dr. Carlo Ammendolia outline how he delivers optimal treatment to his patients and subtle variations between demographics.   He offers tips and resources on how to assess...

In this second episode of a two-part series on Extended Health Care (EHC), Dr. Moez Rajwani returns to explore the rise of virtual chiropractic care or telehealth and how insurers, as well as patients, are responding. For this segment, he's joined by Dr. Amy Brown who shares her experience with virtual care and how she's using it in her Cambridge-based practice.   Dr. Rajwani also highlights the p...

This two-part series on Extended Health Care (EHC) will help you keep up with trends and work effectively with insurers across Ontario. In episode one, Dr. Moez Rajwani discusses how EHC is evolving and what that means to chiropractors like you. From cost containment to digital transformation, he highlights current trends and outlines what you need to know to support your patients and protect your...

In the second episode of this two-part series, chiropractor Dr. Albert Scales explains how he contacts and builds rapport with a prescribing health care professional to collaboratively help a patient with an opioid dependency.  Tune in to hear how he coordinates care to help their shared patient safely taper their use of opioids to treat their neuromusculoskeletal (spine, muscle, joint, and relate...

In part one of this two-part series, St. Catharines-based chiropractor and OCA member Dr. Albert Scales discusses his experience engaging patients who are using opioids to treat their neuromusculoskeletal (nMSK) pain. Tune in to hear how he raises the topic with patients and discusses contacting their prescribing health professional to coordinate their care while staying within the chiropractic pr...

If you're a member of the Ontario Chiropractic Association , this podcast is for you. But many of the topics we'll discuss with varied guests have a wide-reaching impact and will also likely be of interest to other professionals in Ontario's broader health ecosystem. Listen to this trailer to learn more. Trailer text: You’re a chiropractor practising in a rapidly evolving profession in Canada’s la...