Patient Research into Professional Boundaries
Findings of research with our Patient Research Panel into their understanding and expectations of Professional Boundaries
08.01.25
Building trusted relationships with patients is an important factor in the delivery of excellent patient care. Patients must trust that their chiropractor, or any healthcare professional involved in their treatment, will behave appropriately and professionally – from the first interaction and beyond.
As a registered healthcare professional, chiropractors are responsible for establishing and maintaining professional boundaries to create an environment that is comfortable, safe and respectful for both patients and chiropractors. Our review of the Code of Professional Practice highlighted that professional boundaries could be a tricky area to navigate, and there were concerns that the Code (2016) did not adequately respond to issues of emotional or financial boundaries.
In response we commissioned independent patient research to better understand the patient’s perspective about professional behaviour so that we can support registrants to establish and maintain professional boundaries.
The report makes for interesting reading, with patients presenting different viewpoints on the six scenarios they considered.
Download the patient research findings
Key findings of the research include:
Patients have little knowledge of chiropractic standards
Patients know little about the Code and the professional standards that chiropractors must follow but there is a presumption chiropractors must follow a code of ethics or standards, similar to other healthcare practitioners such as doctors and dentists.
Patients believe the first patient-chiropractic interaction is important in establishing professional boundaries from the outset.
Patients expect more formality in their interactions with health professionals compared with professionals working in other capacities. This includes the language used in the initial greeting to the conversations between chiropractor and patient.
Patients have different views about appropriate and professional boundaries which are influenced by a number of factors. Patients recognise that this can present a challenge for chiropractors and patient-chiropractor interactions
Patients recognise that determining appropriate boundaries can be difficult and generally believe that chiropractors should err on the side of caution, ensuring that lines are not crossed from the outset of the patient-chiropractor interaction. This approach protects both the patient and the chiropractor.
Patients have little knowledge of chiropractic standards
Patients know little about the Code and the professional standards that chiropractors must follow but there is a presumption chiropractors must follow a code of ethics or standards, similar to other healthcare practitioners such as doctors and dentists.
Patients believe the first patient-chiropractic interaction is important in establishing professional boundaries from the outset.
Patients expect more formality in their interactions with health professionals compared with professionals working in other capacities. This includes the language used in the initial greeting to the conversations between chiropractor and patient.
Patients have different views about appropriate and professional boundaries which are influenced by a number of factors. Patients recognise that this can present a challenge for chiropractors and patient-chiropractor interactions
Patients recognise that determining appropriate boundaries can be difficult and generally believe that chiropractors should err on the side of caution, ensuring that lines are not crossed from the outset of the patient-chiropractor interaction. This approach protects both the patient and the chiropractor.