Welcome to the Evidence-Based practice In Chiropractic Study (EBIC)

Supported by the Royal College of Chiropractors, with ethical approval from The University of South Wales, the EBIC trial has been busily recruiting participants for the largest survey of what it is that chiropractors actually do in their clinics.

What are we trying to accomplish?
We are trying to find out exactly what chiropractors do when they are treating patients. We are also trying to find out of this is ‘evidence-based.’ There is very little current information about what it is that chiropractors actually do in their clinics on a day-to-day basis in the UK. It is important to have an accurate picture of this when we as a profession engage with outside agencies like the NHS.

Together with an understanding of what chiropractors actually do, we are also going to match the diagnosis given in each case to the treatment given to see if it is evidence-based. This is a method that was used by David Sackett, one of the founders of the evidence-based practice movement. It was also used in a pilot study by a chiropractor who found that 60% of the treatment offered to patients in that instance was evidence based. This correlates well with other health care professions.

We want to see if that holds true for a bigger sample of UK chiropractors.

When?
The trial will begin on 24th October 2016.

How will this be done?
On the first day of the trial we are asking participating chiropractors to record the diagnosis or complaint and the treatment that they offer each new patient seen for the subsequent 4 weeks.

The survey will ask for a name of the patient’s complaint or rationale for care and then ask how they were treated. We give some options but the chiropractor is able to put whatever complaint or treatment they think is appropriate. If the patient has more than one complaint there are further options. This information will be recorded for one month from the date of the first treatment or for 4 visits whichever comes first. The information will be entered into a survey on the Internet.

Click here for a graphic representation of the process.

A complete set of instructions can be found in the resources section below.

Resources:

Instructions for the conduct of the trial

Patient information sheet
Patient consent form

Paediatric patient parent information form
Paediatric patient (aged 12 and 16 years) information form
Paediatric consent form

EBIC_Log_Book (if using paper)

Click here for answers to frequently asked questions.