RMO Directory Will Refer Patients to You

I am very happy to announce that Almira Navarro has officially joined us on a full-time, permanent basis as my Executive Assistant. Today is her first day!

Almira holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA). She has also completed an additional two years of education in Business Information Management.

In addition, Almira has extensive education and knowledge in artificial intelligence (AI), which will be a valuable asset to our organizations as we increasingly move in this direction. We plan to integrate AI into our operations to improve our systems, increase efficiency, streamline processes, and help us better manage and expand our projects.

One of Almira’s primary responsibilities will be helping us set up, manage, develop, and promote one of our most important new projects: the Registered Manual Osteopaths (RMO) Directory, scheduled to become fully operational in early 2027.

The purpose of this directory is simple: to connect the Canadian public with qualified Registered Manual Osteopaths and generate patient referrals for RMOs across Canada.

I strongly believe this will become one of the most important projects we have undertaken for the future of manual osteopathy in Canada. We have both the membership numbers and the financial resources necessary to give this project the support and promotion it deserves.

Unfortunately, there are individuals practicing manual osteopathy in Canada who have not completed adequate education or clinical training. Some have completed only very short courses before offering manual osteopathic services to the public. This creates concerns for patient safety and for the reputation of our profession.

The RMO designation was created to help the public distinguish practitioners who have met defined educational, clinical, ethical, and examination requirements.

RMOs have completed more than 2,000 hours of education, including at least 1,000 hours of supervised clinical education and training. They must also complete mandatory education in areas such as sexual abuse prevention and insurance fraud prevention, and successfully complete rigorous written and practical board examinations.

The RMO Directory will not simply be a list of practitioners. Our goal is to actively promote the directory so Canadians looking for manual osteopathic care can find qualified RMOs in their communities. I have personally committed $10,000 a month towards advertising this directory on social media.

There is a simple reality in any profession: when an organization helps its members build their practices and earn a better living, people recognize its value. By helping generate patients for RMOs, we can also create a powerful incentive for qualified manual osteopaths to come together.

We are already seeing members of other associations joining us because they recognize the potential of the RMO initiative and the directory. And that is exactly what we want. We want qualified manual osteopaths from across Canada to come together under a recognizable professional designation and have greater access to patients.

When that happens, everyone benefits. The public benefits because it becomes easier to identify qualified practitioners. RMOs benefit through greater visibility and potential patient referrals. And the manual osteopathy profession benefits by becoming stronger, more unified, and more professional.

Welcome to our osteopathic family, Almira! We are very happy to have you with us, and I am excited about what we are going to build together.

Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD
Osteopath, Naprapath, Chiropractor & Founder of:
National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada, USA)
National University of Medical Sciences (USA, Spain, Panama)
Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada (380 clinics in 34 countries)
Florida Naprapathic Association
World Osteopathy Day