ACAOM Report '06
The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (“ACAOM” or “Commission”) wishes to thank the leaders of the NFTCOM for inviting ACAOM to provide a written report on recent ACAOM activities and projects that may be of interest to your membership.

http://www.aaom.info/qiunity/06/07/01.html

DSHEA Labeling Requirements
For many private practitioners of TCM, the sales of dietary supplements makes up an important tool for the health of our patients as well as the financial health of our practice. However there are federal regulations that describe what we can and cannot say on our labels.

http://www.aaom.info/qiunity/06/07/02.html

From the Integrator Blog:
http://theintegratorblog.com/site/index.php?
optionfiltered=com_content&task=view&id=101&Itemid=152

"Accreditation agency recognition by the federal government has been a battle ground in advancement for the AOM, DC and ND professions. To many in AOM, the news was good when an application for US Department of Education recognition of a splinter-group AOM accrediting body, the National Oriental Medicine Accrediting Agency, was withdrawn recently. A 70 page DOE report found 436 violations of guidelines and recommended against recognition of the group. The Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is among those which opposed the recognition. Meanwhile, the presently-recognized Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine was granted a five year extension by the USDE."

Acupuncture Without Borders
Continuing their work with victims of hurricane Katrina.

http://www.aaom.info/qiunity/06/07/03.html

AIMS Workers' Comp Report
AIMS' insurance committee felt that the entire profession should be informed on the latest development as soon as possible. We hope you will read it and pass it on to others.

http://www.aaom.info/qiunity/06/07/04.html

New Mexico Wins a Round
On Saturday, 8 July, the New Mexico Board of Chiropractic Examiners rescinded their rule change by which they tried last December to give themselves the right to practice "chiropractic acupuncture". The retraction came as a result of the Oriental Medicine Association of New Mexico's filing a lawsuit. In the meantime, representatives of the Association have begun talks with members of the New Mexico Chiropractic Association, and we are pleased to find ourselves in agreement on almost everything, including mutual respect between our professions. It turns out that only 2 or 3 DCs in New Mexico wanted the right to do acupuncture. The OMANM strongly recommends to other states that they contact DC associations and talk with ordinary DCs--we might not need to get sucked into a fight to the death if we can communicate constructively. We have agreed to explore requirements that might apply to both our professions--what would a DOM/LAc need to know to do "adjustments", what would qualify a DC to do acupuncture--using WHO recommendations as a starting point and possibly eventually involving the NCCAOM/ACAOM.

Indiana Association Welcomes New Vice President
Mitchell Harris was recently voted in as Vice President of the Indiana Aassociation of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Jennifer Meador-Stone is active President. Mitch graduated from Pacific College in San Diego. The IAAOM is interested in connecting with other state organizations, especially in the Midwest, to improve member and public services and share ideas.

Indiana Referrals:  Please visit our web site at www.iaaom.org 317-255-3030 for an acupuncture referral list of NCCAOM accredited practitioners in the state of Indiana.

Chicago Korean Acupuncture Association - 10th Anniversary
The Chicago Korean Acupuncture Association was established in 1997. Its main goal is to serve the Korean community and further improve our member's quality practice through continuing education.

The Chicago Korean Acupuncture Association will be celebrating its 10 year anniversary in 2007. With the new Governing body that was launched this year, the Association looks forward to being part of the Acupuncture Community and to better serving the "People" of our profession.

To JOIN or learn more about the Chicago Korean Association, please contact:

Scoitt Sang In Lee, L.Ac., DOM, NCCAOM
Phone: (847)808-7575
Email: chunam@juno.com

ACAOM News Release
HOUSTON, TX (June 1, 2006) - American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) has reached an agreement with Methodist Hospital to offer acupuncture in all of their facilities in Houston and surrounding. The agreement, which was implemented in January, included treating patients at the main Methodist Hospital location in the Texas Medical Center. After a successful start, the College begins treatment of patients at the other Methodist Hospital facilities at San Jacinto, Sugarland, and Willowbrook. 

The Houston institution’s interim president John Paul Liang has been involved with the process since 2005. “Methodist Hospital has been extremely supportive and we are really glad to have this cooperation. I think that we will really be able to help a lot of patients when we can combine Western and Eastern medical care, and for our students it really provides an opportunity that cannot be found in other acupuncture schools,” says John Paul Liang.

This will be a very unique experience for all of the College’s students since Methodist Hospital is one of the most respected medical healthcare systems in the country.  These will be reputable outreach sites for ACAOM students to do their internship and treat patients in a Western medical facility. For patients, this may provide great health benefits now that they have both Western and Oriental medical care. “This is the beginning of cooperative care. Many patients depend on this type of service,” says John Paul Liang. 

The Methodist Hospital is an affiliate of Cornell University’s Weill Medical College and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, which are two of the nation’s top medical education and research.  Named among the nation’s best hospitals for heart and heart surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, urology, ear, nose, and throat, psychiatry, ophthalmology, and gynecology by U.S. News and World Report’s 2005 annual guide, Methodist earned over $1.09 billion in net patient revenue in 2003.

With the addition of four Methodist Hospital sites, the acupuncture school continues to be one of the top Oriental medicine programs in the country with nine outreach locations including Rice University Student Health & Wellness Center, University of Houston Clear Lake Health Center, Memorial Hermann/Houston Baptist University Wellness Center, Memorial Southeast Hospital Outpatient Clinic, and Legacy Community Health Center (HIV & AIDS).

Partnering with Methodist Hospital is not the only recent cooperation that the institution has done. The College, which was recently featured in the PBS Show The Connection, is currently partnering with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and is just completing a 3 year research with Baylor College of Medicine involving over 500 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, and targets the effects of acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee as well as the effects of practitioner communication in relation to patient recovery and pain relief.

Tai Sophia Institute Receives Regional Accreditation
The Tai Sophia Institute, a graduate academic institution for wellness-based education, clinical care, research and public policy discourse based in Laurel, MD, has received regional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The Commission is a voluntary, non-governmental, peer-based membership association dedicated to educational excellence and improvement through peer-evaluation and accreditation. The Commission accredits degree-granting colleges and universities in the Middle States region.

Originally founded as a clinic for acupuncture in 1975, the Institute now offers master’s degrees in acupuncture, herbal medicine and the applied healing arts. “Receiving regional accreditation demonstrates the progress and evolution of the Institute from a small school to an Institution with a broad outlook about healing and wellness. When we first taught acupuncture we were considered outside the mainstream. Today, the concepts of “wellness” and “healing” have become more accepted and we are in the vanguard of preparing practitioners in these areas,” Robert Duggan president of the Tai Sophia Institute says.

The process to receive accreditation began in 2001. It required the Institute to complete a comprehensive “self-study” which involved analysis and planning to meet the 14 standards on which Middle States accreditation is based. The accreditation process also included a site visit from an evaluation team comprised of representatives of other institutes of higher education. The Commission commended Tai Sophia for being a unique institution that has been able to develop measurable outcomes for such concepts as “healing presence” and “personal transformation.”

The Tai Sophia Institute has more than 900 alumni practicing acupuncture, herbal medicine and other healing arts around the country. Its current enrollment totals more than 320 graduate students in its Master of Acupuncture, Master of Science in Herbal Medicine, and Master of Arts in Applied Healing Arts programs. In addition to the degree programs, the Institute offers a wide variety of wellness programs that are open to the community. The Institute also maintains clinics for acupuncture treatment and herbal consultations.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Middle States’ website is www.msache.org.

9th World Congress on Qigong and TCM
CAMEXPO West, the International Complementary and Natural Healthcare Conference and Expo held November 10-12, 2006 and located in Los Angeles at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, is pleased to announce it will feature the 9th World Congress on Qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The 9th World Congress on Qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine features a body, mind and spirit cultural education for the professional. Experience presentations and demonstrations of remarkable Qigong/TCM healing skills and techniques, research, health promoting martial arts, and research, show casing world class international Masters and scientists, demonstrations of high performance in everyday health and wellness through Qi-energy.. History, theory, policy, science, experiential sessions with instrumental measuring of the Qi demonstrations, Tui na, Ahn Mo (classical Chinese Massage), acupuncture, the healing of Chinese food and herbs, acupressure, cupping, Feng Shui (wind/water/geomancy), Qigong exercises, meditation, and more in the entire Chinese cultural systems approach to whole person health and healing. Participants will experience and learn a multitude of self-healing skills you can take home to use for yourself, family, or patients.

For more information about the 9th World Congress on Qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine visit www.eastwestqi.com.

Registration for CAMEXPO West opens in July. Visit www.camexpowest.com for more information.

There are excellent opportunities for speakers, exhibitors, and sponsors.

Email full background to: eastwestqi@aol.com

Upcoming Seminars
Master Tung, Pain Management, First Aid, and more.

http://www.aaom.info/qiunity/06/07/09.html

AAOM Student Organization Bylaws
Bylaws for the AAOM-SO, the new AAOM-sponsored student organization, are currently being reviewed and finalized. AAOM-SO Bylaws create a foundational outline for an energetic and committed student body, eager to establish national communications and cooperative participation in the future of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Two nationwide student task forces have been at work, along with former AAOM Vice President, Cynthia O'Donnell, since the Student Caucus held at the AAOM Chicago Expo last October. Students across the country have brainstormed, networked and collaborated to produce an exceptional guiding document.

The founding bylaws will be presented at the AAOM Phoenix Expo this October. Students nationwide are invited to attend and become a part of the historic unveiling at the Student Caucus Meeting on Saturday morning. Students who live away from the greater Phoenix area are encouraged to create a ride-share initiative and consider using vans or mini-buses to make the trip more affordable and available. Hotel rooms can also be shared by up to four people. Students in colleges who have chosen their AAOM-SO Student Representatives may choose to help pay for their Student Rep.

The AAOM Chicago Expo was outstanding. Phoenix promises to be even better! The AAOM-SO Bylaws demonstrate the extraordinary progress that's been made since Chicago. Choose to help direct your future in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Our profession is becoming more and more accepted in the mainstream, participation in the AAOM-SO contributes to the greater good of our profession’s growth. Be there to participate in the Phoenix Expo. 'We are all angels with only one wing, it's only when we embrace that we can fly!'

World Chinese Entrepreneur Association
You are invited to attend the 2006 National Day reception of The World Chinese Entrepreneur Association to be held in Bejing this Fall.
(Article contains Chinese characters.)

http://www.aaom.info/qiunity/06/07/11.html

Whatever status you maintain with the profession – a practitioner, a student, an OM College, an OM Business/Service Provider, a Friend of Acupuncture, or an OM Advocate, it is important to do what you can, when you can to advance the profession.  Remember…

So long as you do not have the power to change the world,
it is useless to say that the world is wrong.

And if you abolish in yourself the things that are wrong in the world,
you will see that the world will no longer be wrong.

The Mother -- 14:p.298

How to Contribute: To meet our monthly publishing deadline, we have found that we need to "move-up" our deadline by one week. Contributions from the profession must be received by close of business the first Monday (rather than second Monday) of each month. If you would like to contribute to this monthly newsletter, we recommend that you read the Qi-Unity Report e-blast as comprehensive instructions are provided. Please no direct emails, as an online form is provided!

...Today, Do Something!

Sincerely,

Rebekah Christensen,
Executive Director

PS: Don't miss Expo 2006, scheduled October 19-23, at the Wigwam Resort and Spa, Litchfield Park (Phoenix), Arizona. You'll find Exhibitor and Attendee Brochures online at www.aaom.org!