LA Chiro Juris study materials
LA Chiro Juris study resources

LA Chiro Juris key terms

LA Chiro Juris · Get comfortable with the vocabulary.

Scope of Practice (Chiropractic)

The legally permitted range of chiropractic services under Louisiana law, centered on detection and correction of vertebral subluxation and related neuromusculoskeletal conditions, performed by a licensed chiropractor within statutory limits.

Related: Vertebral Subluxation, Practice Act
Practice Act

The body of Louisiana statutes and administrative rules that creates the licensing system for chiropractors, defines permitted and prohibited conduct, and authorizes the board to regulate the profession.

Related: Scope of Practice (Chiropractic), Board Rules and Regulations
Vertebral Subluxation

A misalignment or interference in the spinal column affecting nerve function, which Louisiana chiropractic law identifies as a central condition chiropractors are licensed to detect and correct.

Related: Scope of Practice (Chiropractic), Adjustment
Adjustment

A manual or instrument-assisted therapeutic maneuver applied to spinal or other joints to restore alignment and mobility, a core procedure within the chiropractic scope of practice.

Related: Vertebral Subluxation, Scope of Practice (Chiropractic)
Board Rules and Regulations

Administrative rules adopted by the Louisiana Board of Chiropractic Examiners that implement the Practice Act and govern licensure, practice standards, and disciplinary procedure.

Related: Practice Act, Louisiana Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Louisiana Board of Chiropractic Examiners

The state agency created by statute to license chiropractors, adopt rules, investigate complaints, and impose discipline for violations of the chiropractic Practice Act.

Related: Board Rules and Regulations, Complaint (Charge)
License

The credential issued by the board authorizing a person to practice chiropractic in Louisiana, subject to renewal, conditions, and revocation or suspension for cause.

Related: Renewal, Reinstatement
Renewal

The periodic process by which a licensee submits a required application and fee before an expiration date to keep an active Louisiana chiropractic license in force.

Related: License, Continuing Education Requirement
Continuing Education Requirement

The mandated hours of approved post-licensure instruction a chiropractor must complete during each renewal period to maintain an active Louisiana license.

Related: Renewal, Reinstatement
Reinstatement

The process of restoring a lapsed, suspended, or revoked license to active status, which may require fees, continuing education, examination, or board approval.

Related: License, Renewal
Reciprocity

A licensing pathway in which Louisiana recognizes credentials or examination results from another jurisdiction, allowing an applicant to obtain a license without full re-examination.

Related: License, National Board Examination
National Board Examination

A standardized examination administered by a national chiropractic testing body, commonly used as evidence of minimum competence in Louisiana licensure and endorsement decisions.

Related: Reciprocity, License
Grounds for Discipline

The statutory list of conduct that authorizes the board to sanction a licensee, such as unprofessional conduct, fraud, incompetence, impairment, and practice outside the lawful scope.

Related: Sanction, Complaint (Charge)
Complaint (Charge)

A formal allegation filed with the board that a licensee violated the Practice Act or board rules, which initiates investigation and possible adjudication.

Related: Grounds for Discipline, Due Process Hearing
Sanction

A penalty imposed by the board after a finding of a violation, ranging from reprimand and fine to probation, suspension, or revocation of the license.

Related: Grounds for Discipline, Summary Suspension
Due Process Hearing

An adjudicative proceeding before the board in which a licensee receives notice of charges, may present evidence and cross-examine, and may be represented by counsel before a decision is issued.

Related: Complaint (Charge), Administrative Subpoena
Summary Suspension

An emergency board action suspending a license before a full hearing when the licensee poses an imminent risk to public health, safety, or welfare.

Related: Sanction, Due Process Hearing
Administrative Subpoena

A compulsory demand issued by the board compelling a licensee or third party to produce records or testify in connection with an investigation or disciplinary proceeding.

Related: Due Process Hearing, Complaint (Charge)
Patient Record

The documented clinical history, examination findings, diagnosis, treatment plan, and progress notes a chiropractor must create and retain for each patient encounter.

Related: Documentation Standard, Retention Period
Documentation Standard

The requirement that entries be contemporaneous, legible, accurate, and sufficiently detailed to permit another practitioner to understand and continue the patient's care.

Related: Patient Record, Retention Period
Retention Period

The minimum length of time a chiropractor must keep patient records under Louisiana law and board rules before lawful destruction or disposal.

Related: Patient Record, Documentation Standard
Informed Consent

A patient's voluntary agreement to treatment after being told the diagnosis, proposed care, material risks, alternatives, and consequences of refusing, documented in the record.

Related: Patient Record, Professional Boundary
Patient Confidentiality

The duty to protect a patient's health information from unauthorized disclosure, subject to exceptions such as statutory reporting, court order, or the patient's written authorization.

Related: Protected Health Information, Mandatory Reporting
Protected Health Information

Individually identifiable health data created or held by a covered provider, governed by federal privacy rules and Louisiana law limiting its use and disclosure.

Related: Patient Confidentiality, Patient Record
Advertising Rule

Board standards prohibiting false, deceptive, or misleading promotion, including unsubstantiated claims of cure, improper testimonials, and improper use of professional titles.

Related: Unprofessional Conduct, Fee Splitting
Unprofessional Conduct

Behavior falling below accepted standards of chiropractic practice or ethics, such as dishonesty, exploitation of patients, practicing while impaired, or aiding unlicensed practice.

Related: Advertising Rule, Professional Boundary
Fee Splitting

The division of a professional fee with a person who did not provide corresponding services, generally prohibited unless an exception such as a lawful business arrangement applies.

Related: Unprofessional Conduct, Advertising Rule
Professional Boundary

The limit separating a therapeutic chiropractor-patient relationship from personal, financial, or sexual involvement that could impair judgment or exploit the patient.

Related: Informed Consent, Unprofessional Conduct
Mandatory Reporting

A legal duty to notify an authority about specified events, such as suspected child abuse, impaired practitioners, or unlicensed practice, within required timeframes.

Related: Impaired Practitioner, Patient Confidentiality
Impaired Practitioner

A chiropractor whose ability to practice safely is compromised by substance abuse, mental illness, or physical condition, often addressed through board monitoring or diversion programs.

Related: Mandatory Reporting, Rehabilitation Program
Rehabilitation Program

A structured treatment and monitoring arrangement, sometimes confidential, that allows an impaired licensee to seek care while the board protects the public.

Related: Impaired Practitioner, Mandatory Reporting
Unlicensed Practice

Providing chiropractic services, or holding oneself out as a chiropractor, without a valid Louisiana license, which is prohibited and subject to enforcement action.

Related: License, Mandatory Reporting
Insurance Reimbursement

Payment by a health plan for covered chiropractic services, governed by Louisiana insurance law, policy terms, and requirements for accurate billing and documentation.

Related: Patient Record, Fee Splitting
Utilization Review

A payer's evaluation of the medical necessity and appropriateness of chiropractic care, which may require submitting treatment plans and progress records for approval.

Related: Insurance Reimbursement, Documentation Standard
Public Health Authority

The state agency or officer empowered to adopt health regulations and require reporting of specified conditions, whose lawful orders can affect chiropractic practice.

Related: Mandatory Reporting, Patient Confidentiality
Business Entity Registration

The Louisiana filing a chiropractor completes to form or operate a professional corporation or limited liability company for delivering chiropractic services.

Related: Fee Splitting, Insurance Reimbursement