Overview
Restrictions on the number of hours of continuing education chiropractors can complete online continues to be a major issue this year. Placing arbitrary limits on how continuing education may be completed by chiropractors limits innovative and accessible educational options which benefit other medical and dental professionals.
Go Learn Network supports “doctor’s choice,” recognizing that chiropractors in Florida should have the flexibility to choose if continuing education classes are taken online or in-person, like their medical physician and dental peers.
2019 Legislation
During the 2019 Legislative Session, three bills were introduced which would have strictly limited online continuing education courses for chiropractors to only 10 hours of the 40 hours required by state law. Two bills, both relating to the Department of Health, included this detrimental limitation to online continuing education hours. In a significant victory, GLN was able to remove these limitations from both bills. A third bill, related to chiropractic physicians’ ability to administer articles of natural origin, such as vitamins, also included the harmful limitation language. Through early intervention by GLN, the bill did not receive a single committee hearing.
2020 Legislation
Once again similar bills have been filed for consideration during the 2020 Legislative Session. Senate Bill 1138 and House Bill 677 would restrict a doctor’s choice, limiting them to only 20 hours of online continuing education. GLN recognizes that these two bills in their current form are detrimental to the public and to chiropractic physicians’ practices.
GLN continues to strongly advocate that all 40 hours of continuing education be eligible for completion online. The Board of Chiropractic Medicine already has devised strict accountability rules, which are among the highest in the country, for its approved hours of online education. Accountability for in-person education is much less stringent. Other medical professionals may choose to take all of their required continuing education online. Limitations such as the proposed 20-hour limitation for chiropractors is completely arbitrary and serves no discernable purpose.
About Corcoran Partners
Founded in 2001, Corcoran Partners is a full-service governmental affairs firm with expertise in all areas of state and local government. The team has more than 85 years of combined legislative, executive, and regulatory knowledge and experience. The firm has been recognized as one of Florida’s top lobbying firms by Florida Trend Magazine and ranked in the top Florida Lobbyists by Sunshine State News.
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