Your Board Candidates Answer Three Townhall Questions
1. What do you think is currently the most important opportunity (or highest priority) for the chiropractic profession in Ontario and why?
A major issue for the profession is the ever-diminishing compensation that Chiropractors receive from professional entities, such as when dealing with patients extended health benefits, within the Auto Insurance framework or under WSIB. It has been nearly 10 years since there has been an increase in Minor Injury Guideline fees, and although WSIB has incorporated more Block Billing, their fee for service rates continues at $30 per visit. With the current inflationary economic climate, it is time for the profession to strongly advocate for reasonable rates from those groups, as well as lobby for increasing maximum payable amounts for patients with Extended health care plans.
2. What do you think is the most important role OCA can play during the next three years?
The key role for the OCA should always be to serve its individual members to the highest degree possible. This would include advocating with large stakeholders, but also ensuring that the needs of the individual chiropractor are addressed.
3. What key difference do you want to make during your tenure on the OCA Board of Directors (for 2024-2027)?
After experiencing far from ideal customer service as a user of the OCA Aspire software, the key difference I will strive for on the OCA Board is a revamp of the expectations of OCA Administration and Staff when it comes to servicing OCA Members. OCA Members should expect efficient, timely and thorough corrective action when they have issues with the OCA or OCA Aspire. The OCA must endeavour to fully understand issues that Members are facing, and work to fully solve the issue in a professional and timely manner. My overarching goal will be to ensure that policies are in place to hold the Association to a higher standard than they are currently reaching, along with appropriate remediation when the OCA does not meet the standard. For example, mandatory disclosure of OCA Aspire ‘bugs’ and rapid and comprehensive corrective action for those ‘bugs’ are the minimum that OCA members are entitled to. I will endeavour to put in place policies that ensure the OCA is accountable to its stakeholders.
Biographical Profile
Why did you become a chiropractor?
Following a high school injury, I was fortunate enough to be treated by past OCA President, Dr. Bryan Wolfe. This led to an interest in the profession, and I tailored my university education towards health and wellness. Following a university placement with a Physiotherapy and Chiropractor, I chose to pursue the Chiropractic profession which led to acceptance at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Iowa.
Where do you practise?
For the past 18 years, I have been the principal Chiropractor at Cor Maximus, Dynamic Health Centre in North Bay. We are a multi-disciplinary clinic, including Chiropractic, Massage Therapy, Sports Therapy, Kinesiology, Cardiac Rehabilitation and group fitness classes.
Credentials and Designations
- D.C., Palmer College of Chiropractic, 2001
- Resident in the Palmer College of Chiropractic Orthopedic Diplomate Program 2001 – 2004
- Bachelor of Physical Health & Education (BHPE), Laurentian University, 1997
- Low Back RAC – Advanced Practice Provider, Northeastern Ontario, 2019-2020
Leadership Engagement
What skills will you bring to the board?
Two key skills that I would bring to the board are computer literacy and attention to detail when it comes to computer software and computer interface. This is something that I can bring to the board to help improve the Aspire software package. I also think having Northern perspectives on the board is helpful. My voice on the Board will help broaden its perspective and member representation geographically.
Do you volunteer in your community generally and/or for the profession specifically?
Our clinic does a lot of community work, supporting local sports teams with medical assistance and coaching, as well as a broad range of other community organizations. I personally have volunteered with basketball, volleyball, soccer, football, and hockey for many years. I was also a lead organizer of a local mountain bike race for 11 years. This past summer I was co-chair for the Voyageur 200, a new annual gravel bike race that had it’s inaugural event in September 2023.
Previous experience includes being a board member of the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce. I was also involved in my student government at Palmer College of Chiropractic as Secretary in my fourth year as well as President of the Canadian Club in years three and four.
