Standards of professional conduct and ethics
Ethical baseline
The Board enforces professional conduct through the Chiropractic Act, Board rules, and the Uniform Enforcement Act. The exam tests whether you can identify boundary violations, abandonment, conflicts of interest, and honesty failures.
Core duties
- Competence: practice only within your training and refer when the problem exceeds chiropractic scope.
- Non-abandonment: do not end a professional relationship without notice, an opportunity to transfer care, and a summary of records.
- Boundaries: sexual relationships with current patients are prohibited; avoid exploitative dual relationships and document care of family members to the same standard.
- Honesty: records, bills, and insurance claims must be accurate; never sign for services not rendered.
- Conflicts: disclose financial interests in referrals and avoid fee-splitting with unlicensed persons.
Worked example
A long-term patient gives you a $500 gift card "for all you've done." Correct answer: decline it, or if a token gift is permitted, document it and avoid any implication that it buys preferential care. Accepting cash or gifts that create an obligation can be characterized as exploitation. The fiduciary duty runs from chiropractor to patient, not the reverse.
Traps
- Ending care because a patient questions the plan, without notice or referral.
- Treating a friend or employee without records.
- Posting patient images or details on social media without written authorization.
- Accepting a referral fee from an imaging center or attorney.