Identity Consultation
Identity of the Profession
At the World Federation of Chiropractic’s 8th Biennial Congress held in Sydney, Australia in June 2005, there was unanimous agreement on the most appropriate public identity for the chiropractic profession within health care. This is “the spinal health care experts in the health care system.”
Over 100 delegates and observers from national associations in 36 countries, including both the ACA and the ICA, were present on June 15 when the WFC Assembly voted to accept recommendations found in the April 2005 Report of a 40-person WFC Identity Task Force.
This report was based on two years intensive work, including a grassroots electronic survey of chiropractors worldwide conducted in October 2004. It was presented to the WFC Assembly by Task Force Co-Chairs, Dr. Paul Carey (Canada), Dr. Gerard Clum (USA) and Dr. Peter Dixon (UK).
The key recommendations on identity agreed upon are:
International Identity
The public identity of the chiropractic profession, if it is to be effective and successful, should be similar in all countries.
Three Concepts
This identity should be established and maintained through the use of the following three linked concepts:
- A leading statement on identity, which must be clear, concise and immediately relevant to both the public and the profession – the ‘pole’ (brand platform).
- Several important qualifying statements, which provide the necessary context and foundation for the pole – the ‘ground’ (brand pillars).
- A description of the qualities or essential personality of chiropractors – the ‘personality’ (tone).
The Pole (brand platform)
The pole should be The spinal health care experts in the health care system.
The Ground (brand pillars)
The ground should be:
- Ability to improve function in the neuromusculoskeletal system, and overall health, wellbeing and quality of life.
- Specialized approach to examination, diagnosis and treatment, based on best available research and clinical evidence with particular emphasis on the relationship between the spine and the nervous system
- Tradition of effectiveness and patient satisfaction
- Without use of drugs and surgery, enabling patients to avoid these where possible
- Expertly qualified providers of spinal adjustment, manipulation and other manual treatments, exercise instruction and patient education.
- Collaboration with other health professionals
- A patient-centered and biopsychosocial approach, emphasizing the mind/body relationship in health, the self-healing powers of the individual, and individual responsibility for health and encouraging patient independence.
The Personality (tone)
The personality should be a combination of:
- Expert, professional, ethical, knowledgeable
- Accessible, caring, human, positive
Please refer to the following documents:
Download PDF 1. Final Report of the Identity Task Force (April 30, 2005)
Download PDF 2. Task Force Power Point Presentation to the Assembly (June, 2005)
Download PDF 3. Recommendations - as adopted by WFC Assembly
Download PDF 6. Survey Responses by Country or Region
Identity Task Force Co-Chairs
(from left to right) Dr. Paul Carey (Canada) WFC Past-President, Dr. Peter Dixon (UK) Past President, European Chiropractors' Union and Dr. Gerard Clum (USA) WFC 1st Vice-President
Additional Documents for Historical Review
Communication Consultants. Background material on the firm retained for the project.
Download the Communication consultants PDF
Task Force Bios and Pictures. This group is as representative of the profession as possible and also includes five lay representatives and one student representative
Background Research. Follow these links to either see the Bibliography or to view the Abstracts of the most relevant research