As I look back on many of the projects that I have done, it seems that the hardest part of the project is its completion. Often the finish takes more effort than the start, and this is certainly true with regard to the WHO-ICD-TM-11 diagnostic codes.
The precursor for this project began in 1999, when representatives of the member states of the U.N. started a discussion concerning the reduction of health care costs worldwide. This lead others to talk — subsequently a Chinese representative (that works for WHO) suggested acupuncture and TCM.
Between 2003 and 2008, committees standardized both point location for 361 points, and over 4,000 vocabulary words and meanings. WHO published this standardized data, which is now known as Informatics. The next task, which began in 2010, was writing a set of diagnostic codes for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM).
These codes will create credibility for TCM worldwide; help integrated providers communicate; position TCM so mortality, morbidity, and comorbidity can be counted; express the condition in Asian terms with definitions; and help to define TCM.
The plan is to integrate the TCIM codes with the next update of the international classification of diseases (ICD) codes, which are owned and maintained by WHO. These are used for insurance billing, and to count mortality, morbidity and comorbidity. Although the TCIM codes are complete there is one more step to make these as effective as possible. As you read this there is a team at Stanford University working on a computer program for the codes.
Dr. Mark Musen, head of biomedical informatics at Stanford University and the director of this project commented, "It is time for an update to the ICD, and the time for the formulation of a set of diagnostic codes for acupuncture."
The Future is Now
The goal is to complete this process before the WHO General Assembly in 2018, so that the codes can be presented at that time. The U.S., through COMRE has given $300,000 in professional donations toward this project, however it will take another $100,000 to complete these efforts.
Therefore, please consider sending $10 or more, if possible, as a tax deductible contribution to help this project cross the finish line. Please send to: Consortium for Acupuncture Research and Education, 1100 W. Town and Country Road, Suite 1400, Orange, CA 92868. Thank you for your support.
Consequences for HIPAA violations can often be quite harsh. If someone has breached the HIPAA privacy regulations – even without any malicious intent, civil penalties are applicable: $100 per violation for unawareness, a minimum of $1,000 for reasonable cause, a minimum of $10,000 if willful neglect is present and then rectified, and finally, a minimum of $50,000 for individuals who act with willful neglect and ignore the issue.
The luo vessels are important in the treatment of mental health issues. They are conduits of “ying qi”: blood and fluids. We believe that the shen is “housed” in the heart and circulated through the blood, making a channel system that “conducts” ying qi ideal for treatment of the mind and emotions.
As our health care ecosystem continues to evolve, I’ve found an increased emphasis being placed on an integrative approach to patient care. As an acupuncturist, you are an essential part of this collaborative system and health care team, cooperating with a range of other professionals including medical doctors, chiropractors, massage therapists, and others.
