Save the dates and plan to attend this year's conference of the Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR), co-sponsored by the University of New Mexico Medical School, to be held Oct. 21-23 in Albuquerque. Since its inauguration in 1993, the annual conference has reflected SAR's role as a focal point for practitioners and researchers interested in conducting, improving, and disseminating research on acupuncture, herbal therapy, qigong, and related modalities. The meeting affords clinical and basic science researchers a unique opportunity for sharing their cutting-edge research contributions with practitioners and educators. Beginning researchers are especially encouraged to attend to network and obtain advice from those more experienced with research design and interpretation.
A record number of abstracts have already been submitted for this fall's conference from university research centers, acupuncture and Oriental medicine schools, and practitioners in the United States, as well as those practicing abroad. The keynote speaker will be Iris Bell, MD, PhD, director of research for the program in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona, whose topic will be, "Are Complex Adaptive Systems and Network Theories the Foundation for a Science of Whole-Person Healing?"
For detailed conference information and registration, please visit SAR's Web site (www.acupunctureresearch.org).
As modern medical standardization continues, the field of traditional Chinese medicine has the advantage of comprehensive personalization. For rare or complex cases, deeper consideration of constitution is invaluable. Proper constitutional assessment, especially with first-time clients, can guide desirable and predictable outcomes. This leads to a higher rate of return, and greater trust between you and your patient.
Though the creation of a financially sustainable, health-promoting model feels far away today, we are casting a vision for a full return on health, believing that this compels us to keep one foot firmly rooted in caring for the sick and the other foot firmly founded in maintaining health. Shifting from a fee-for-service model to value-based care using a phased approach is paramount.
Laser therapy has emerged as a powerful tool in the realm of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This new modality fits beautifully into the toolbox of the modern acupuncturist, as it can be used as a hybrid form of stimulation to acupuncture points, meridians, organs, nerves, and symptomatic areas in a new way that blends both moxa and energetic needle-like responses.
