An exciting study has been published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine regarding the probability of U.S. medical physicians recommending "complementary health approaches" to their patients. For their study, the authors used "physician-level data" from the "2012 Physician Induction Interview of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS PII), a nationally representative survey of office-based physicians."1
More than 22 percent (22.4%) of medical physicians surveyed recommend acupuncture to patients, according to the study. Massage therapy is the most-recommended complementary health approach (30.4 percent), followed by chiropractic / osteopathic manipulation (27.1 percent), herbs / nonvitamin supplements (26.5 percent) and yoga (25.6 percent).
Don't' worry about acupuncture's place on the list; consider what it means for you and your AOM practice: Approximately one of every five medical physicians recommends acupuncture to their patients.* Knowing this, now would be a good time to reach out to medical physicians in your community to see if they are receptive to working together. Chances are good that you'll connect with at least one MD who is looking to refer patients to you.
There has never been a better time for AOM practitioners to create professional relationships with medical doctors. Many MDs are looking for ways to get themselves and their patients escape the literal death grip of the pharmaceutical industry, particularly opioid manufacturers.
Political medicine and the pharmaceutical industry have historically been opposed to complementary health approaches, but medical physicians are seeing through the propaganda and forming their own opinions. So reach out and see which MD(s) in your community are willing to work with you. It will be a win-win-win for you, them and your patients.
*Interestingly, female MDs are even more likely to recommend acupuncture than male physicians, per the study.
Reference
Stussman BJ, Nahin RR, Barnes PM, Ward BW. U.S. physician recommendations to their patients about the use of complementary health approaches. J Alt Complement Med, 2019 Nov 25 (epub ahead of print).
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U.S. Representatives Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) have reintroduced the Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act (nowH.R. 1667) in the 119th Congress. As with previous iterations of the legislation, H.R. 1667 would authorizethe U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to recognize qualified acupuncturists as Medicare providers. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) both weigh in on the importance of the legislation.
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