SPINAL PATHOLOGY AND DOCUMENTATION

8 Credit Hours

**Please note this course will be retired so as approvals end CE credit will not be available in all states any longer.  If you need to know if you can get credit in your state please email Christina@academyofchiropractic.com and I can give you end dates for approvals.

*CE Credits are for Doctors of Chiropractic.

**CME Credits are for Medical Doctors and Doctors of Chiropractic

***Please note this course is only approved in the state of AL through 5/21/26

****Please Note: This course is only approved for 6 CA.

***Please note this course is only approved in the state of Ga through 12/31/25

***Please note this course is only approved in the state of MN through 12/31/25

***Please note this course is only approved in the state of NV through 12/31/26

*****Please Note: This course is only approved for 8 PA CE Credits.

***Please note this course is only approved in the state of SD through 5/17/26

***Please note this course is only approved in the state of TX through 04/30/26

***Please note this course is only approved in the state of WV through 5/17/26

Spinal Pathology & Documentation Mastery (8 Hours)

Diagnose with Confidence. Document with Demonstrative Precision. Protect Your Clinical Decisions.

If you treat spine-related injuries, you already know the truth:
If you can’t demonstrate the pathology, you can’t defend the necessity.

This 8-hour advanced program was built for chiropractors and spine providers who want to accurately diagnose spinal pathology and produce documentation that is clinically defensible, ethically sound, and medico-legal ready—without sacrificing autonomy or professionalism.

You’ll learn how to identify and document anatomical vs. mechanical lesions of the spine, interpret MRI sequences like a specialist, and build the kind of records that clearly communicate clinical necessity to patients, payers, attorneys, and other providers.

✅ Total Education Time: 8 Hours
✅ Format: 4 modules (2 hours each)
✅ Tuition: $299

Who This Program Is For

This program is designed for:

• Chiropractors treating acute, chronic, and post-traumatic spinal cases

• Providers managing complex musculoskeletal and neurologic presentations

• Clinicians working in PI, injury, and medico-legal environments

• Doctors who want to improve MRI comprehension, E/M documentation, and clinical case reasoning

• Practitioners looking to strengthen referral relationships with MDs and specialists through better clinical communication

What You’ll Be Able to Do After This Course

By the end of the program, you will be able to:

• Identify key spinal anatomy and pathology on MRI (sagittal & axial views)

• Distinguish and document bulges, herniations, protrusions, extrusions, myelomalacia, cord edema, and Schmorl’s nodes

• Build records that show demonstrative necessity for chiropractic care

• Create ethical, defensible documentation for medical-legal and interprofessional environments

• Understand E/M coding (99202–99205 and 99212–99215) and the documentation requirements associated with the 2021+ standards

• Present accurate diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plans using E/M + MRI + x-ray mensuration

• Improve outcomes and communication via triage, referral protocols, consult methods, and documentation standards

Curriculum (8 Hours Total)

Module 1 (2 Hours): MRI Spine Case Review

Patricia Roche, DO (Radiology / Neuroradiology)
Mark Studin, DC

See what matters. Understand what you’re seeing. Document what you can defend.

This module is a clinical case review of MRI studies including:

• Sagittal and axial analysis

• T1, T2, STIR, and proton density sequences

• Fat saturation pulses and their significance

You will identify and clinically correlate:

• Vertebrae and disc structures

• Spinal cord, thecal sac, and nerve roots

• Posterior longitudinal ligament

• Epidural veins

• Imaging markers that guide clinical decision-making

Pathology covered includes:

• Disc bulges

• Herniations (protrusions and extrusions)

• Myelomalacia

• Cord edema

• Schmorl’s nodes

Module 2 (2 Hours): Using Documentation to Create Ethical Relationships

Mark Studin, DC, FPSC, FASBE(C), DAAPM
Dan Rosner, Esq

Build documentation that earns trust—without compromising autonomy.

This module teaches the structure of documentation that is:

• Demonstrable by design

• Visually persuasive (ethically and clinically)

• Clear to non-clinical stakeholders

• Built to withstand scrutiny

You’ll learn:

• How to show pathology visually and logically

• How to maintain ethical relationships with the medical-legal community

• How to prepare records for deposition and trial, if required

• What to expect in medical-legal processes and how to stay clinically grounded

Module 3 (2 Hours): E/M Coding Changes & Requirements (2021+)

Mark Studin, DC

Code accurately. Document correctly. Reduce risk.

This module provides step-by-step clarity on E/M coding requirements for:

• 99202–99205

• 99212–99215

You’ll learn how to document the elements required for each code and how to correctly support:

• Time-based coding

• Exam complexity

• Medical decision-making criteria

• Evaluated body parts and the supporting documentation

Clinical correlation includes:

• History, vitals, and physical exam components

• Muscular evaluation

• Neurological evaluation

• Motor and sensory findings

• ICD-10 alignment and documentation integrity

Module 4 (2 Hours): Clinical Grand Rounds

Mark Studin, DC
Don Capoferri, DC

Turn clinical complexity into confident decision-making.

This module features case reviews using:

• E/M documentation

• MRI correlation

• X-ray mensuration

You will learn how to conclude:

• Accurate diagnosis

• Prognosis

• Treatment plans that reflect true clinical need

Special focus on:

• Common diagnoses requiring interprofessional collaboration

• Diagnostic dilemmas and how to communicate them

• Proper referral and triage protocols

• Phone consult methods and documentation frameworks

Course Objective

To understand the physiology of connective tissue pathology and apply that understanding through advanced clinical reasoning, imaging correlation, documentation, and defensible record design.

Faculty

This program is taught by an expert team spanning clinical spine care, radiology, legal standards, and documentation strategy:

• Mark Studin, DC, FPSC, FASBE(C), DAAPM

• Patricia Roche, DO – Radiology / Neuroradiology

• Dan Rosner, Esq

• Don Capoferri, DC, FSBT, FPSC

Why This Program Works

Many courses teach “documentation.”
This program teaches demonstrative documentation—the kind that:

• Communicates pathology clearly

• Supports medical necessity

• Strengthens interprofessional credibility

• Holds up in utilization review, claims disputes, and legal settings

• Helps you care for patients with greater precision and confidence

Tuition & Enrollment

✅ 8 Hours Total
✅ 4 Modules (2 hours each)
? Fee: $299.00

Ready to diagnose, document, and demonstrate spinal pathology with confidence?
Enroll now and build documentation that reflects the true necessity of your care.

 Troubleshooting Suggestions: 

1. This course is supported by PC's and Mac devices
2. Minimum 20mbs download speed
3. Mobile device are not ideal as tracking is automated and often not mobilized