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Stakeholders Debate Bill Proposing Chiropractors Do Sport Physicals

Bill Faces Opposition From Health Professionals, Sports Group

By
Stethoscope

The Wisconsin Chiropractic Association is pushing a bill that would allow chiropractors to perform physicals required for school sports or extracurricular activities and also do acupuncture. But the bill faces opposition from other health professionals and a prominent sports group.

Meanwhile, another chiropractic group, the Chiropractic Society of Wisconsin, has some concerns but is leaning in favor of the bill.

During a public hearing before lawmakers Wednesday, Steve Conway, executive director of the Chiropractic Society of Wisconsin, said the bill is “pro-chiropractic,” but their group wasn’t involved in the process of putting the bill together and needed further time to review it.

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One lawmaker expressed concern chiropractors might not have the expertise to perform physicals needed to play sports.

“You know, my staff and I were looking into this and we discovered that the Packers do not allow chiropractors to perform these physicals, these PPE’s, these pre participation examinations,” said Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa, D-Milwaukee. “Nor do the military. Police and firefighters don’t allow chiropractors to perform physicals. That really made an impression on me.”

“And then in looking at our WIAA, our interscholastic athletic association, we have so many young people involved in sports in our state and that’s great thing,” Zamarripa continued. “But I know the WIAA’s medical advisory committee voted no on this proposal a year ago. So why supercede that decision?”

Rep. Chuck Wichgers, R-Muskego, authored the bill and said Wisconsin has a diminishing number of medical professionals providing health care and this would provide more options.

“It’s not that they’re (chiropractors) are not qualified. It’s been, I think, a little bit of a turf war. But we’re in a new time, we’re in a new era of diminishing options,” Wichgers said.

But Tosha Wetterneck, an internal medicine doctor with University of Wisconsin Health, said there are enough health professionals to meet demand for sports physicals.

Speaking for the Wisconsin Medical Society at the legislative hearing before the Assembly Health Committee on Wednesday, Wetterneck said the organization does not support the bill because it could potentially jeopardize the safety of children’s health.

“I don’t see this see this as a turf issue at all. Doctors aren’t asking for help to do these physicals,” she said. “Doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants do these all the time as part of our practice. There aren’t any access issues.”

Brandishing a stethoscope during her testimony to legislators, Wetterneck talked about differentiating between a normal and abnormal heart rhythm.

“These are in-depth physical exams. These are in-depth histories we are taking,” she said. “This is rocket science. This is requiring expertise to do.”

Mark Cassellius, a chiropractor in Onaslaska, said he’s done many physical examinations for commercial truck drivers.

“When I complete an exam, it’s not unusual to hear a comment from a driver that, ‘No one has ever listened to that with a stethoscope.’ Or, ‘No one has ever checked that.’ Or, ‘This is the most thorough exam I’ve ever had,’” Cassellius said. “In my practice generally and with (state) Department of Transportation physicals, I’ve identified a number of serious conditions.”

The bill would allow chiropractors to do acupuncture with 200 hours of additional training. Several acupuncturists told lawmakers this wasn’t enough and that they oppose bill.