NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1977 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 1109

SENATE BILL 341

 

 

AN ACT TO DEFINE THE PRACTICE OF CHIROPRACTIC, AND GUARANTEE FREEDOM OF CHOICE TO PATIENTS, AND TO SPECIFY THE AREAS OF EXPERTISE OF CHIROPRACTORS.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 90-143 is amended by striking the words, language and punctuation beginning on line 5 of the 1975 Replacement Volume 2C, General Statutes of North Carolina, beginning with the word "It" and continuing through the period at the end of the section and by substituting in lieu thereof the following:

"It shall be the duty of the North Carolina State Board of Chiropractic Examiners (hereinafter referred to as 'board') to examine for license to practice chiropractic every applicant who complies with the following provisions: He shall, before he is admitted to examination, furnish proof of good moral character and satisfy the board that he has completed two years of prechiropractic college education and received credits for a minimum of 60 semester hours. He shall exhibit a diploma or furnish proof of graduation from a chiropractic college accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education or holding recognized candidate for accreditation status with the Council on Chiropractic Education or a college teaching chiropractic that, in the board's opinion, meets the equivalent standards established by the Council on Chiropractic Education, requiring an attendance of not less than four academic years, and supplying such facilities for clinical and scientific instruction, as shall meet the approval of the board. The examination shall include but not be limited to the following studies: neurology, chemistry, pathology, anatomy, histology, physiology, embryology, dermatology, diagnosis, microscopy, gynecology, hygiene, eye, ear, nose and throat, orthopody, diagnostic radiology, jurisprudence, palpatation, nerve tracing, chiropractic philosophy, theory, teaching and practice of chiropractic.

Provided further, that the said board may license by reciprocity, upon application, any chiropractor holding a license issued to him by a regular board of chiropractic examiners in another state when said board is satisfied that such applicant has educational qualifications equal to those prescribed by said board for admission to practice chiropractic in this State, and upon proof of good moral character and that he has practiced chiropractic under such license for at least one year."

Sec. 2.  G.S. 90-153 is amended by removing the period after the word "public" on the last line thereof and by adding the following punctuation and words: ", and shall have access to diagnostic x-ray records and laboratory records relating to the chiropractor's patient."

Sec. 3.  Article 8 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding two new sections thereto, as follows:

"§ 90-157.1.  Free choice by patient guaranteed. No agency of the State, county or municipality, nor any commission or clinic, nor any board administering relief, social security, health insurance or health service under the laws of the State of North Carolina shall deny to the recipients or beneficiaries of their aid or services the freedom to choose a duly licensed chiropractor as the provider of care or services which are within the scope of practice of the profession of chiropractic as defined in this Chapter."

"§ 90-157.2.  Doctor of Chiropractic as expert. A Doctor of Chiropractic, for all legal purposes, shall be considered an expert in his field and, when properly qualified, may testify in a court of law as to etiology, diagnosis, prognosis, and disability, including anatomical neurological, physiological, and pathological considerations within the scope of chiropractic."

Sec. 4.  This act shall become effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 1st day of July, 1977.