MI Chiropractic Jurisprudence cheat sheet

Chiropractic is regulated under the Michigan Public Health Code, Article 15 (Occupations), Part 164; the practice act defines chiropractic and the scope of the license.

The Michigan Board of Chiropractic, housed in the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), advises the Director on licensure, standards, and disciplinary matters.

Statutory definitions control interpretation: 'chiropractic' is the diagnosis and treatment of human structural imbalance, distortion, or subluxation, and the effects of those conditions on the nervous system.

Practice without a license or beyond the statutory scope is a violation of the Public Health Code and grounds for both criminal and administrative action.

The Code authorizes the Department to investigate complaints, issue subpoenas, and impose sanctions independently of any criminal proceeding.

Statutory grounds for discipline include fraud in obtaining a license, incompetence, negligence, substance abuse, criminal conviction, and practice outside the authorized scope.

The Public Health Code sets confidentiality rules for patient records and the conditions under which records may be released without patient authorization.

Violations of the Code may be prosecuted as misdemeanors or felonies depending on the provision; administrative sanctions are separate from criminal penalties.

Administrative rules adopted by the Board and the Department implement the statute and carry the force of law; they govern equipment, recordkeeping, advertising, and standards of care.

Rules specify required office equipment and sanitation standards for a chiropractic facility; failure to maintain them is an independent violation.

Rules on advertising prohibit false, deceptive, or misleading statements and restrict claims of cure or superior ability.

Rules define continuing education requirements, including acceptable subject matter, hour minimums, and documentation retention.

Rules prescribe standards for informed consent, patient records, and the retention period for those records.

Rules govern the supervision and delegation of tasks to unlicensed personnel and the scope of what may be delegated.

Rules establish procedures for license applications, reinstatement, and the conduct of administrative hearings before the Department.

Rule violations can support disciplinary action even where the underlying conduct is not separately prohibited by statute.

Permitted practice: diagnosis and treatment of structural imbalance, subluxation, and related effects on the nervous system using adjustment, manipulation, and adjunctive procedures authorized by law and rule.

Chiropractors may order and interpret diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests reasonably related to the chiropractic diagnosis.

Prohibited: prescribing or dispensing legend drugs, performing surgery, and using controlled substances except as specifically authorized by statute.

Prohibited: holding oneself out as a medical doctor or using titles that mislead the public about licensure or qualifications.

Prohibited: practicing beyond the scope of the license, including treatment of conditions not amenable to chiropractic care without appropriate referral.

Prohibited: fee splitting, kickbacks, and paying or receiving compensation for patient referrals in violation of the Code.

Prohibited: practicing while impaired by alcohol or drugs, or practicing with a lapsed, suspended, or revoked license.

Prohibited: patient abandonment and failure to refer when the patient's condition requires care outside the chiropractic scope.

Applicants must graduate from a chiropractic program accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education or an equivalent body recognized by the Department.

Applicants must pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners examinations, including the jurisprudence examination required by Michigan.

Applicants must submit fingerprints and undergo a criminal background check as part of the application process.

Licenses are renewed every two years; renewal requires completing the required continuing education hours and paying the renewal fee.

Failure to renew timely results in a lapsed license; practicing on a lapsed license is unlicensed practice.

Reinstatement after a lapse requires an application, payment of fees, and possibly additional education or examination at the Department's discretion.

Continuing education must include the jurisprudence component and other subject areas specified by rule.

Licensees must report changes of name or address to the Department within the time required by rule.

Complaints are filed with LARA; the Department investigates and may issue an administrative complaint setting forth the alleged violations.

A licensee is entitled to notice and an opportunity for a hearing before an administrative law judge, with the right to counsel and to present evidence.

Sanctions include reprimand, probation, suspension, revocation, restitution, fines, and limitations on practice.

Summary suspension may be imposed when the public health, safety, or welfare requires immediate action, followed by a hearing.

The Board may require a licensee to undergo evaluation for substance abuse or mental health conditions and to comply with treatment.

Ethical duties include competence, honesty in billing, avoiding conflicts of interest, and maintaining patient confidentiality.

Failure to cooperate with an investigation or to comply with a board order is itself grounds for discipline.

Disciplinary records and final orders are generally public; the Department publishes actions against licensees.

A chiropractor must maintain a patient record for each patient that documents history, examination findings, diagnosis, treatment plan, and progress notes.

Records must be legible, accurate, and contemporaneous; entries must identify the author and date of service.

Informed consent requires disclosure of the diagnosis, proposed treatment, material risks, alternatives, and the right to refuse.

Consent must be obtained before treatment and documented in the record; consent for minors requires a parent or guardian.

Patients have the right to access their records and to obtain copies; fees for copies are limited by statute and rule.

Records must be retained for the period specified by rule, and longer where litigation or an investigation is pending.

Confidentiality may be breached only with patient authorization or where required by law, such as reporting communicable disease or suspected abuse.

Patient rights include privacy, respectful treatment, participation in care decisions, and the ability to terminate the relationship with appropriate notice.