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3. Prepare for aging patients. Follow the progress of the Older Adults guideline and systematic reviews on efficacy/safety; begin auditing your practice’s protocols for seniors (screening, force selection, comorbidity review).


4. Document outcomes and dosing carefully. Many guideline and coverage discussions center on “dosage” — frequency and duration of manual therapy. Good documentation helps justify clinical decisions and supports future research.


5. Cite the literature when advocating. Whether you are speaking with insurers, state regulators, or primary care partners, using peer-reviewed citations and Clinical Compass summaries builds credibility.


6. Encourage clinician involvement in research. Even small practice-based data sets, registries, or case series can help fill evidence gaps — especially when paired with careful methodology.


7. Stay informed on safety guidance (CITADEL). When the chiropractic safety guideline is published, adapt practice protocols early to align with emerging standards.


These actions are practical, achievable, and aligned with both patient welfare and professional sustainability.


Looking forward: Opportunities and responsibilities


The Clinical Compass Q3 report paints a picture of a profession actively reshaping the narrative around safety, effectiveness, and value. But momentum is not automatic. It requires continual investment in rigorous methodology, transparent reporting, cross- disciplinary collaboration, and the willingness to contest poor quality science when it threatens patient care or policy.


For Washington State, opportunities are immediate: the state’s progressive approach to integrative care, its sizable veteran and aging populations, and an active community of clinicians make it fertile ground for implementation of guideline-driven care models. Washington chiropractors who connect clinical practice with research use (through Evidence Center membership, participation in registries, or contributions to guideline implementation) are positioned to benefit first — and to improve patient care locally. Responsibilities are equally clear. To maintain public trust and professional standing, the chiropractic community must continue to:


• Prioritize high-quality evidence over anecdote. • Encourage transparency and reproducibility in research.


• Engage respectfully but firmly with critics, using methodologically sound critiques.


• Translate research into language and protocols that influence clinical practice, payer decisions, and public perception.


The Clinical Compass Scientific Commission’s quarter demonstrates that these aims are achievable and, indeed, being realized — step by careful step.


Conclusion: Research as stewardship


The Clinical Compass Q3 report is a practical ledger of accomplishment. It enumerates manuscripts, projects, rapid responses, and honored researchers — but more importantly, it chronicles the profession’s stewardship of its scientific reputation. Stewardship means producing evidence that helps patients live better lives; stewardship means defending the integrity of the literature when it is misused; stewardship means translating research into access.


For Washington State chiropractors, the takeaway is optimistic and actionable. Evidence is not an abstraction. It is the tool by which our profession secures coverage, integrates into broader health systems, informs patient decisions, and protects future generations’ ability to practice.


If you want to take immediate next steps: review the Clinical Compass Evidence Center resources, integrate recent findings into your informed consent forms and SOAP notes, and consider nominating an interested clinician to partner with research teams (a small time commitment can have large ripple effects). The work reported for Q3 2025 shows momentum. With practitioner engagement, that momentum will translate into measurable benefits for patients and the profession.


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