Evidence-Based practice In Chiropractic Study (EBIC)
Frequently asked questions
If I get stuck who can I call?
Please email us first if you can study@peninsulaclinic.co.uk
Keith Walker will usually reply within a few hours.
Alternatively, phone Keith Walker on 01752 727297 or 07810796969
What’s an EBIC code?
An EBIC code is the unique code given to each chiropractor in the study. This number will be used as an identifier for each chiropractor’s data so that we do not have to use their name. It is in place to preserve confidentiality.
We gave you an EBIC code when we emailed you to accept you into the study. If you did not get that email please email Keith Walker at study@peninsulaclinic.co.uk or the RCC and we will send you another one.
What is a patient Code?
A patient code is a number between 1 and 200 that you can generate and apply to a patient so that we can keep track of which patient you are referring to without knowing their name. For confidentiality’s sake we do not want to know the patient’s name.
What happens if my patient recovers from the first complaint but comes back with another?
If you think the two are related (e.g. leg pain after having back pain) then please just continue. If the new complaint appears unrelated, do not enter it into the survey. For consistency, we are only analyzing new patient complaints presenting at their first visit.
What if a patient doesn’t return after their first visit?
Please go ahead and enter the details of their diagnosis and treatment, if any, for their visit. All information regarding patient visits is important.
Can I wait until the end of the trial before I fill out the survey?
You can but we advise that you do not. Remember the survey applies to ONLY ONE patient. It is better to fill out the survey for each patient as you complete their course of treatment or four visits, whichever come sooner.
How much of time will this all take?
We estimate that it takes about 3 minutes to fill out a survey per patient. Therefore if you have 2 new patients a week over a month, filling out the survey for each of those new patients if you see them four times will be 24 minutes. Less than half an hour spread out over a month – hopefully not too difficult.
Where can I find the online survey?
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/EBIC
What do I put if I am not making a diagnosis but correcting the patient’s subluxations?
In the Presenting complaint box please put “subluxations” and in the box marked “Which of the following most closely describes your diagnosis?” please tick “Wellness”
What happens if I do not give the patient any treatment for 1 or more of their presenting complaints?
The survey enables you to indicate ‘not treated’ and also ‘referred to another healthcare professional’, if appropriate. This may be indicated at any patient visit and for any or all of that patient’s presenting complaints. If you don’t treat a particular presenting complaint you are asked to explain the reason in a free text box. Here you may indicate why they were contraindicated, or if you considered that there was no rationale for care, or any other reason why treatment was not given. We will analyse overall management of patients, not just ‘treatment’ given.
What happens if I accidently submit a patients treatment records and they are not complete?
Simply start another survey with the same patient’s code. When we come to analyse the date we will take the most complete version.
Can I do a paper version of the survey?
You can use a paper version to keep a record of your patients but the survey can only be entered onto the online survey. You can get a copy of the log here. https://rcc-uk.org/ebic/
What happens if I want to stop the trial half way through?
No problem. Just stop. It would be very helpful if you could drop me an email and let me know though. And thank you for your help.
Will I get paid?
Unfortunately not. However you can be happy in the knowledge that you are contributing to a greater understanding of our profession here in the UK.
How many patient visits do I enter?
Please enter as many visits as the patient has up to a maximum of four or until a month has elapsed from their initial visit.
What if the patient is seeing me for more than one condition?
Different presenting conditions will be analysed separately, so you will be asked to detail your management of each individually. There are questions that cover a second and third condition of the treatment. For example a patient may have a primary complaint of low back pain but also have a second complaint of tennis elbow for which you are treating them. The survey will ask you to fill indicate what you did for the low back pain and then what you did for the tennis elbow, at each visit. The survey allows a maximum of 3 conditions to be entered for each patient. Please establish priorities 1, 2 and 3 with the patient at their first visit.
Do I have to enter all my data in one go?
No. You only have to enter data for one patient at a time. The survey is taken regarding only one of your patients. Once you have finished that survey then you restart it for another patient. You do not have to enter all the data from all the patients at once.
