Practice of acupuncture

[Guest guest]

I am in the process of starting a new practice and developing a

website and brochures. One topic that I wanted to address was the

training or lack of training by other healthcare professionals

performing acupuncture.

 

I put this together and would like to ask your thoughts or comments

before I make this the final copy. Please include anything else that

I may add.

 

Thanks

Brian N Hardy, DC, LAc

 

 

Document below:

 

The practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine is receiving

unprecedented publicity in this country, and acupuncture is being

offered by a variety of health care practitioners calling

themselves " acupuncturists. " Consequently, the general public may be

confused over the qualifications of those providing this service.

 

The American Association of Medical Acupuncturists (AAMA) recommends

a program of only 220 to 300 hours of study for what it

terms " medical acupuncture " for medical doctors.

 

See article: Medical Acupuncture for Physicians

 

Where state chiropractic boards are allowed to certify their

licensees in acupuncture, their programs are usually a mere 100

hours.

 

See article: International Academy of Medical Acupuncture Inc. (IAMA)

 

Note: Both article's will interest you, in reviewing the education

and clinical training or lack of, that other health care

professionals have in regards to their training in acupuncture.

 

I chose these 2 associations since they are major associations in

training other health care professionals.

 

Nationally accredited acupuncture schools provide a minimum of 1725

hours of training in their educational programs for acupuncture and

a minimum of 2175 hours in their programs of Oriental medicine.

These hours also constitute the educational requirements for the

licensing of Acupuncturists in most states.

 

The American Association of Oriental Medicine (AAOM) has adopted the

position that anyone practicing acupuncture without certification as

a Diplomate in Acupuncture (Dipl. Ac.) from the National

Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

(NCCAOM), or an equivalent state license as an Acupuncturist,

practices below the prevailing standards of minimum competency for

acupuncture.

 

In speaking to other healthcare providers (Medical Doctors,

Chiropractors, etc.) regarding this topic of administrating

acupuncture treatment, several professionals feel that performing

acupuncture is not in their scope of practice due to the higher

standards of education and clinical training that an acupuncturist

must study.

 

The other set of healthcare providers (Medical Doctors,

Chiropractors, etc.) who do acupuncture, feel they have this right

to perform acupuncture because the education they received may have

included more hours of education than acupuncturists.

 

I point out how the education and clinical training of both

professions are completely vast and different.

 

These professional's (Medical Doctors, Chiropractors, etc.) also

like to say they are performing medical acupuncture, meridian

acupuncture, scientific acupuncture, etc. By saying this, they feel

they are now entitled to do acupuncture.

 

I feel that since I have been educated and received degree's in both

systems of health care, it is my opinion that unless a healthcare

professional has received adequate training in acupuncture it poses

a health risk as well as success of the clinical outcome of the

treatment.

 

The question to ask yourself is, do I want a healthcare professional

performing acupuncture on me who is not adeqently trained.

 

The ultimate choice that must be made, is by you as the patient