Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons^™

Vitalism And Value In Undergraduate Chiropractic Education, Dennis M. Richards

Dennis M Richards

Vitalism is a philosophical viewpoint with ancient origins. In more recent times it has been discussed as a reaction to dominant reductionist and mechanist models in science and health. A ‘new vitalism’ incorporates recent developments in philosophy and science.

Demographic changes, particularly ageing, are occurring in many societies. These changes and the rise of non-communicable diseases resulting from unhealthy lifestyles challenge biomedicine’s ability to address them and societies’ abilities to pay for treatment of them.

Chiropractic was founded on and continues to involve vitalist thinking. A vitalist approach by chiropractors might offer solutions to these challenges. Such an approach would …

Paradigm Shift: A New Model – The Caa Wellness Initiative., Dennis M. Richards

Dennis M Richards

It has been projected that the costs of health care have the potential to threaten the fiscal stability of Australian Governments in upcoming decades. These costs relate in particular to the ageing of the population, common lifestyle activities that involve health risks, and the ever-increasing demand for taxpayer-funded medical, drug and surgical treatments and technologies. Various Government bodies have determined that there is a need for change in thinking about health care, with new models of care being required and with much more emphasis being placed on disease prevention and health promotion. The Chiropractors ‘ Association of Australia has developed …

Paradigm Shift: Why The Need?, Dennis M. Richards

Dennis M Richards

The projected costs of trends expected to occur in Australian society over the next 40 years, particularly demographic changes, have the potential to threaten the fiscal sustainability of Australian Government finances. These costs particularly relate to the financing of health care. The Strategic Plan of the Chiropractors’ Association of Australian (National) Ltd. includes two strategies that seek to address this situation. This paper details these trends and threats, why new models of health care will be required, and why a paradigm shift in thinking in health care may be needed.

Paradigm Shift - The Two Models., Dennis M. Richards

Dennis M Richards

The projected costs of trends expected to occur in Australian society over the next 40 years, particularly demographic changes, have the potential to threaten the fiscal sustainability of Australian Government finances. These costs particularly relate to the financing of health care, and the Government has called for new models of care to address this problem. This paper presents and discusses some historical models or paradigms of health care that may assist in understanding the current need for change and a possible solution.

The Plan: The Development Of The 2006-2009 Caa Strategic Plan., Dennis M. Richards

Dennis M Richards

In 2006 the Chiropractors’ Association of Australia engaged a professional facilitator to develop and run a process by which a Strategic Plan could be developed to guide the activities of the Board of Directors of the Association during the period 2006-2009. This paper documents this process and lists the outcomes.