IA Chiro Juris flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Scope of practice definition

The range of services a chiropractor may lawfully provide, set by each state's statute and board rules. It varies by jurisdiction and controls what modalities, diagnoses, and procedures are permitted.

Corporate practice of chiropractic

A doctrine in some states barring non-licensee ownership of a chiropractic practice or control over clinical decisions. Violations may void contracts and trigger board discipline for aiding unlicensed practice.

Adjunctive procedures

Therapeutic modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and therapeutic exercise authorized by statute as part of chiropractic care. They must be documented and within the state's enumerated list.

Delegation to chiropractic assistants

Transfer of specified tasks, often modalities or clerical duties, to trained staff under supervision. Assistants may not diagnose or adjust, and the supervising licensee remains responsible for the care.

Unlicensed practice

Providing chiropractic services without a valid license, including practicing on a lapsed or inactive license. It is typically a criminal offense and independent grounds for licensure discipline.

Continuing education requirement

Mandated education hours per renewal cycle, often including set hours in jurisprudence, ethics, or recordkeeping. Failure to complete them blocks renewal and may require remediation.

Jurisprudence examination

A state-specific test on that jurisdiction's chiropractic statutes and board rules, usually required before initial licensure. It is separate from the national board examinations.

Mandatory reporting duty

A statutory obligation for licensees to report suspected abuse, certain diseases, adverse events, or impaired colleagues to designated authorities. Failure to report is itself a violation.

Impaired practitioner program

A board-approved diversion program allowing licensees with substance or mental health conditions to self-refer for monitored treatment, often in exchange for confidentiality or deferred discipline.

Fiduciary duty

The obligation to place the patient's interests above the practitioner's financial or personal gain. It underpins rules on self-referral, ancillary service ownership, and billing practices.

Patient abandonment

Unilateral termination of the professional relationship without adequate notice or transition, at a time when care is still needed. Proper termination uses written notice and referral.

Sexual misconduct boundary

Sexual contact with a current patient is prohibited in every U.S. jurisdiction and typically mandates license revocation. Patient consent is not a defense to the violation.

Dual relationship

Treating someone with whom the practitioner has a personal, financial, or employment relationship. It requires documented risk assessment and often transfer of care to avoid impaired judgment.

Informed refusal

Documentation that a patient declined recommended care or referral after being informed of the risks. It protects the practitioner and records the patient's autonomous decision.

Record ownership

The practice owns the physical or electronic record, but the patient holds a statutory right of access. Copying fees and response deadlines are set by state law.

SOAP note format

A documentation structure using Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan sections. Each entry must be dated, authenticated, and reflect the care actually provided at that visit.

Record correction rule

Errors are corrected by a single-line strike-through with initials, date, and reason, preserving the original entry. Obliterating, backdating, or rewriting entries constitutes falsification.

Record retention period

The statutory or regulatory minimum time a record must be kept, commonly seven to ten years for adults and longer for minors. It runs from the last treatment date.

HIPAA minimum necessary

A standard limiting disclosures to the least information needed for the purpose. State confidentiality statutes may be stricter and control when they conflict with federal rules.

Permitted disclosure without authorization

Legally allowed releases of health information for public health reporting, abuse reporting, court orders, or imminent threat. Each category has statutory limits on scope.

Informed consent elements

Diagnosis, nature and purpose of care, material risks, alternatives including no treatment, and voluntary agreement. The discussion must be documented in the patient record.

Material risk disclosure

Risks a reasonable patient would consider significant in deciding on care, disclosed under the professional or patient-centered standard depending on the state.

Consent for minors

Treatment of a minor generally requires parent or guardian consent, subject to exceptions for emancipated minors, mature-minor statutes, and emergency situations.

Patient rights

Statutory and ethical entitlements including record access, privacy, respectful care, refusal of treatment, and revocation of consent at any time.

Administrative due process

Procedural protections in board actions: notice of charges, a hearing, presentation of evidence, cross-examination, and an impartial decision-maker.

Preponderance of evidence

The standard of proof in most administrative disciplinary hearings, meaning more likely than not. It is lower than the criminal beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard.

Summary suspension

An interim suspension imposed before a full hearing when the board finds an immediate danger to the public. A prompt post-suspension hearing is required.

Grounds for discipline

Statutory bases for board action, including unprofessional conduct, incompetence, fraud, impairment, and failure to cooperate with an investigation.

Collateral consequences

Indirect effects of discipline such as malpractice insurance loss, Medicare exclusion, hospital privilege revocation, and reciprocal action by other state boards.

Truthful advertising rule

Advertising must be accurate, verifiable, and not misleading. Superlatives and guarantees of cure are commonly prohibited as deceptive.

Fee splitting prohibition

A rule barring payment to referral sources or splitting fees with non-licensees for patient referrals. Violations may be criminal and are per se licensure violations.

Testimonial advertising

Use of patient statements in marketing, permitted only with written authorization and without implying typical results. Some boards prohibit it entirely.

Anti-kickback and Stark

Federal rules barring remuneration for federal health care program referrals and physician self-referral to certain ancillary services. Chiropractic arrangements must be structured for compliance.