IL Chiro Juris cheat sheet

The Medical Practice Act of 1987 (225 ILCS 60) governs chiropractic practice; the Illinois Chiropractic Practice Act is codified at 225 ILCS 60 and is administered by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).

The Act is administered by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which oversees the Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

The Board of Chiropractic Examiners consists of chiropractic members and public members appointed by the Governor; the Board reviews applications and recommends disciplinary action to IDFPR.

The Department has authority to investigate complaints, conduct hearings, and impose discipline; the Board serves in an advisory capacity, and final disciplinary decisions rest with the Department.

The Director may summarily suspend a license without a hearing if the Director finds the public interest, safety, or welfare imperatively requires emergency action.

Administrative rules implementing the Act are found in 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1285 (Chiropractic), covering licensure, continuing education, and practice standards.

The Act requires that a chiropractor's license be renewed every two years; the Department may require additional information on renewal applications.

Violations of the Act may result in license suspension, revocation, probation, reprimand, or civil penalties; the Department may also seek injunctive relief.

Rulemaking authority under the Act is exercised by the Department in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act (5 ILCS 100).

Chiropractic practice is defined as the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of those disorders on the general health of the patient.

Permitted modalities include spinal adjustment and manipulation, adjunctive procedures, and the use of physical therapy modalities such as heat, cold, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound.

Chiropractors may provide nutritional counseling and may recommend or dispense dietary supplements consistent with the Act and rules.

Chiropractic practice includes the use of diagnostic imaging, including X-rays, and the ordering and interpretation of laboratory tests reasonably related to the chiropractic diagnosis.

Chiropractors may not perform surgery, prescribe or administer controlled substances, or engage in the practice of medicine beyond the scope of chiropractic.

Chiropractors may use the title 'Doctor of Chiropractic' or 'D.C.' and must not use titles or abbreviations that imply a broader scope of practice.

A chiropractor may not delegate the performance of spinal adjustment to unlicensed personnel; ancillary tasks may be delegated to licensed or trained assistants under supervision as permitted by rule.

Chiropractors must refer patients to other licensed health care providers when the patient's condition is outside the chiropractor's scope of practice or fails to respond to chiropractic care.

Chiropractors may provide services via telehealth only to the extent authorized by the Act and applicable rules, and must maintain the same standards of care as in-person visits.

Applicants must graduate from a chiropractic college accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) or an equivalent accrediting body approved by the Department.

Applicants must pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) examinations, including Parts I, II, III, and IV, and the Physiotherapy examination where required.

Applicants must complete a jurisprudence examination covering the Illinois Chiropractic Practice Act and its rules.

Licenses are renewed biennially; the renewal cycle is established by the Department and requires payment of the renewal fee and completion of continuing education.

Continuing education requirements include a specified number of hours per renewal cycle, including mandated hours in specified subject areas such as ethics and jurisprudence.

A license that is not renewed by the expiration date becomes inactive; practicing on an inactive or expired license constitutes unlicensed practice.

A chiropractor who has not practiced for a specified period may be required to complete additional education or re-examination before reinstatement.

Licensees must notify the Department of a change of name or address within a specified period after the change.

The Department may require fingerprint-based criminal background checks as part of the licensure process.

Grounds for discipline include unprofessional conduct, gross negligence, incompetence, and practicing outside the scope of chiropractic.

Discipline may be imposed for obtaining a license by fraud or misrepresentation, or for aiding an unlicensed person to practice chiropractic.

Discipline may be imposed for violating the Act or its rules, including failure to maintain required patient records or failure to comply with continuing education requirements.

Discipline may be imposed for conviction of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, or for conduct that would constitute a crime under Illinois law.

The Department may impose discipline for habitual intoxication or addiction to alcohol or drugs that impairs the ability to practice.

Discipline may be imposed for fee splitting, paying or receiving commissions for patient referrals, or engaging in unprofessional advertising.

The Department may impose discipline for failure to cooperate with an investigation or for making false statements to the Department.

Disciplinary sanctions include reprimand, probation, suspension, revocation, and civil penalties; the Department may also require additional education or treatment.

The Department may seek injunctive relief in circuit court to restrain unlicensed practice or violations of the Act.

Chiropractors must maintain patient records for each patient, including history, examination findings, diagnosis, treatment plan, and progress notes.

Records must be legible, accurate, and contemporaneous; entries must be dated and signed by the treating chiropractor.

Chiropractors must maintain the confidentiality of patient information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Illinois law.

Patients have the right to access their records and to obtain copies, subject to reasonable fees permitted by law.

Chiropractors must obtain informed consent before initiating treatment, including an explanation of the diagnosis, proposed treatment, risks, and alternatives.

Chiropractors must not engage in sexual misconduct with patients; such conduct is grounds for discipline.

Chiropractors must not abandon patients; termination of the provider-patient relationship requires proper notice and an opportunity to obtain care elsewhere.

Chiropractors must comply with infection control standards, including the use of gloves and sterilization of equipment.

Chiropractors must report suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.