Pig in the Python

Speakers in this session...

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  Karen Konarski-Hart

  

  Karen Konarski-Hart DC

  Karen Konarski-Hart is a Chiropractic Physician in private practice in Little Rock, AR, for over 40 years. She is an EMT and holds a Master’s degree in Disaster Preparedness/Emergency Management.

  She has served on the AR state board of health (the only DC to serve as its president), has served as Councilor and site team member on the Council on Chiropractic Education, president of the Arkansas Chiropractic Association, and as delegate and eventually Vice President of the American Chiropractic Association. She is retired from AR1-DMAT (federal disaster medical assistance team) and as the leader of the Pulaski County Medical Reserve Corps.

  She now serves on the ACA’s Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as an advocate for the aging and disabled populations and sits on the Advisory Council for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and its longevity advisory committee. Dr Konarski-Hart has been a member of the NCMIC Speakers Bureau since 2003, speaking on topics such as emergency response, disaster preparedness, stress/loneliness, professional boundaries, and geriatrics with emphasis on the perspective and involvement of chiropractic physicians individually and as a profession. She has also adapted a number of her professional presentations for layperson community organizations, and she has written for and has been featured in many national, state, and local publications.

  She is in the process of developing a Fellowship in Chiropractic Geriatrics.

  Dr Konarski-Hart has received several awards, including:

  • Chiropractor of the Year, Humanitarian of the Year, Delegate of the Year, and the President’s Award from the American Chiropractic Association
  • Chiropractor of the Year, the Gayle Carpenter Memorial Award, President’s Citation and Service Award from the Arkansas Chiropractic Association
  • Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Program Intern Award and Program Scholar Award from Arkansas State University’s DPEM Master’s program.

  Sessions...

  Pig in the Python

  Regional Event: national

  Start Date: 08/15/2026 10:20 am

  End Date: 08/15/2026 12:00 pm

  Location: Windermere Y

  Session details

  Course Description 

  As the aging population continues to grow and healthcare access becomes increasingly strained, chiropractic physicians are likely to see a significant rise in Medicare-aged patients and expanded care opportunities. This course prepares DCs to proactively address the unique clinical, communication, documentation, and accessibility needs of geriatric patients while exploring the potential impact of broader Medicare coverage. Attendees will gain practical insight into falls prevention, common comorbidities, screening tools, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strategies to strengthen their practices for the future of elder care.

  Learning Objectives

  1. To be able to discuss the increasing need for providers of older patients
  2. To be able to assess our educational level (personally and as a profession) and ability to provide appropriate care for older patients.
  3. To understand the CMS requirements for geriatric assessments and screenings and how to provide them.
  4. To be able to assess and assist older patients regarding balance, falls and assistive devices
  5. To be able to assess barriers (physical, psychological, financial, environmental, etc.) to an older patient’s better health and potential resources for correction.
  6. To understand proper communication with older patients and potential barriers 
  7. To recognize possible co-morbidities and how they may affect neuromusculoskeletal conditions
  8. To be aware of common laboratories and imaging procedures used for medical assessment of older patients
  9. To be aware of diseases that may masquerade as neuromusculoskeletal disorders.

  Sponsor: NCMIC