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).
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.
