The Acupuncture Observer’s Odds, Ends, and Action Items

I can’t keep up, so prepare for some less polished posts as I play catch up.

First, housekeeping —

I’ve been using the blog for essays and analysis and using The Acupuncture Observer and Acupuncture Regulation-US Facebook pages to share articles of interest. Follow those pages, and if the FB algorithm cooperates, you’ll get important background and stay on top of current events.

I kind of hate Facebook and may give it up one of these days. Subscribe (if you haven’t already) to The Acupuncture Observer blog by entering your email address in the box in the upper right (under the banner photo) of the home page. Don’t count on Mark Zuckerberg to show you what’s important.

I’m considering a weekly (or so) blog post with links to a selection of the articles I’ve been posting to FB. Good idea?

Regarding The Acupuncture Observer —

I am not a journalist. I am an acupuncturist with experience on the board of state and national associations and the state regulatory agency. I am also a news junkie.

I have a point of view.

That point of view is informed by my experience, research, insider reports, news, transcripts of meetings, etc. I link to supporting information. My opinions are not based on hearsay or one individual’s report.

If I am wrong, let me know. That’s what the comments are for. I moderate to exclude spam and to reduce unnecessary rudeness, not to shut down differences of opinion. Reach out if you’d like to run a guest post.

If the position of you or your organization is already widely known, and especially if you have ready access to Acupuncture Today or widely distributed organizational newsletters, don’t expect equal time here. You already have a forum for your positions.

I’ll issue a correction if you can show me that I’ve got faulty information. But just telling me that I’m wrong or stupid or “clearly don’t understand” isn’t helpful. Show me the evidence.

And, an Action Item —

The NCCAOM has recently announced changes to their testing procedures.

1)      As of this September, people will no longer be able to sit the exams before they graduate.

2)      As of 2019, the exams will only be offered during four 12-day windows. There will be two testing windows for foreign language exams and reinstatement exams.

3)      People will no longer get preliminary results immediately after taking the exams and will need to wait eight weeks to find out whether they passed. That will give people a week, at best, to register for and re-take any exams in the next testing window.

See page 11 –  http://www.nccaom.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/2018%20NCCAOM%20Spring%20Update%20to%20CCAOM.pdf

Unlike some changes at the NCCAOM, I don’t blame a profit motive. Each change, in and of itself, has a reasonable explanation. But, the sum total of the changes will have a negative impact on the ability of recent graduates to obtain state licenses in a timely manner. Enrollment in ACAOM schools dropped 18% between 2014 and 2018. Meanwhile, the demand for acupuncture is growing. It’s a terrible time to drag out the licensure process.

I hope you will sign the petition. (The petition language incorrectly refers to regulatory changes. The changes are to NCCAOM policy and procedures.)

 

 

 

 

Copyright —

© Elaine Wolf Komarow and The Acupuncture Observer, 2013-2033. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from Elaine Wolf Komarow is prohibited. Excerpts and links are encouraged, provided that full and clear credit is given with specific direction to the original content.

9 thoughts on “The Acupuncture Observer’s Odds, Ends, and Action Items

  1. Can you say more about “perceived disrespect”? I seem to see quite a bit of folks that come in 1-2 times, and if they see no results, they’ll say “I’ll call to make another appointment” but seldom they do

    This is regardless of me explaining that acupuncture may take some time to take effect, maybe 4-6 visits, especially if this is a chronic condition.

    So frustrating. And most have insurance covering acupuncture, their cost is usually a copay

    Thanks

    • Hmmm – this seems to be a bit of a tangent from this post, so maybe it would be better to explore elsewhere. But, in short —

      1) Even a co-pay can be a significant cost for some people. But even if there is no cash outlay, getting to an appointment can take time and money. Getting to my practitioner, given his schedule, means at least a half-day off work and anywhere from $15.00 to $30.00 in transportation costs depending on whether I take public transportation or drive and have to pay tolls and downtown parking.

      2) Maybe they don’t like you? I don’t say this to be mean, but, perhaps the rapport isn’t there. Maybe they feel judged. Maybe they found the treatment to be physically uncomfortable? Maybe they scheduled on a whim, and so aren’t that invested in success.

      The only way I’d think of this as disrespectful (I think) is if they scheduled and didn’t show up and never gave an explanation. If they just don’t reschedule I might reach out to see if I could find out what was going on, but I generally work to hold it as a “they weren’t that into me/acupuncture” rather than a respect thing.

      • Thanks for your thoughts on this matter. I brought it up since “perceived disrespect” appear in your post, yes, as a side.
        I put my email address in the box up on the right end corner, not sure you received. It was there for a while, then it disappeared. Let me know that you received it. Thanks

        • Augusto — You are not yet showing up on my list of subscribers. If the email registration went through correctly you should soon get an email asking you to confirm that you want to subscribe. Once you reply to that email you should be added to the subscriber list. (I don’t manage that directly, it’s all part of a blogging app and a bit beyond my level of technical expertise.)

          • I don’t do apps. Trying to minimize tech. Apps are so 2020

            Anyway. I’ll try again. Possible to be easier from a laptop

  2. Your refer to yourself in the narrative but you do not say your name. Is it Observed? I don’t think your mother named you that. Who are you?

    • You can read all about me, including my name, on the “About Me” page of the blog!

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