NOV/DEC 2007
International News
Practice Management
Continuing Education and Events		 State Legislative Activities
AAAOM Activities
AAAOM Student Organization		 National AOM Issues
Links
Products, Services, and Member Savings

Table of Contents:


Expo 2007 Sponsors:

We extend our gratitude and thanks to our platinum sponsor, The American Acupuncture Council, our gold sponsors, Kan Herb Company and Golden Flower Herbs, and KPC, our conference bag sponsor. Working together, we create a better future for alternative medicine. Much appreciated!

 

Greetings AOM Members and Colleagues:

Qi-Unity Report: This issue of the Qi-Unity Report offers perspectives from a wide range of AOM voices, including the articles germane to AAAOM practitioner and member concerns on many levels. We are pleased to update you on AAAOM activities, including our Call for Speakers for Expo 2008. Please enjoy the various tools and resources we have included here for the New Year. We’re proud to continue to serve the AOM profession and its continual advancement in 2008!

The AAAOM is interested in your feedback. We invite you to use our General Feedback page to let us know your opinions and insights.

This Issue Sponsored By:

As the largest and oldest provider of acupuncture insurance in the country, we offer the benefit of experience, enabling you to enlist the protection of the industry’s leading carrier backed by a veteran legal defense team — at the lowest premiums you’ll find anywhere. You deliver peace-of-mind to your patients. Find out how we can do the same for you. Visit www.acupuncturecouncil.com.

International News

International links:

Indian telecom magnate bets on alternative medicine programming in the US

More: http://www.forbes.com/home/business/2007/11/14/subhash-chandra-television-biz-07india-cz_mb_1114chandra.html

India Promotes Development of Its Herbal Export Potential

More: http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/11/stories/2007111154500400.htm

New AOM books from China have recently been published in English

More: http://www.hceis.com/book.asp?id=5255

New publication explores the history of Daoism in China

More: http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=13712

State Legislative Activities

State Affairs Report

Howdy Members,

My name is Phranque Wright, and I am your new chair for the State Affairs Committee. As I weave my way through this new duty, I want to keep you informed of what I know. I am working closely with the state presidents through the President’s Council communications to keep open relations between the state associations and the AAAOM.

For the AAAOM to assist the states, and thereby assist you and your profession, we need to hear what your needs are. Remaining a member of your state association and a member of the AAAOM helps keep the profession united in ideas and voices. At the same time, these voices need to be shared for us all to understand and help each other. Getting involved in your state association through volunteering services will help you understand which issues are being tackled in your local level as well as on the national front. Mostly, however it is very important to know who your legislators are and to start forming relationships with them. To find who represents you in your government, go to www.vote-smart.org. Insert your zip code in the left-hand column and the page will show you every person in the government who represents you locally, up to the president.

It is your right and responsibility to know what people represent you and to ask them (or their office staff) where your representatives stand on issues. You can also educate them on what you do, what our profession represents, and inform them on acupuncture laws, acupuncture practices and acupuncturists. Legislators are regular people who come from regular jobs who got into government. They represent you but can only know what that means when they know who you are and what you do. Make appointments to visit their offices or volunteer services to their staff. A face-to-face meeting has stronger influence than 100,000 signatures on a petition. No one is our enemy; there is just a lot of misinformation. The solution to misinformation is education. Who is it that will educate the legislation? If not us, who? If not now, when?

Your state association is also composed of regular people who need to know what your concerns and ideas are before they can act and serve. This is also true of the AAAOM; we need to know your concerns and ideas in order to guide us to serve you better. Start at the state level; let them know your concerns, then your state presidents, when greater assistance is needed, can gain support from the other states and from the AAAOM as a whole. There are a lot of voices and a lot of issues floating around, such that not all can be tackled at once. Nonetheless, many can be tackled if we all start to focus. This newly united association in itself shows that we can all agree to work together. As I weave my way through my duties, the rest of the association is weaving through the unity, and the presidents are weaving through the best way for all of us to maintain communications, as we stay connected to the NCCAOM, ACAOM, Council of Colleges and all others who help unite our profession.

As a united voice, we not only need to support our own local issues, but also shout out to other states sending the call to rally. If we speak for others now, they will be able to be there for us if we need them later. Standing together strengthens all our rights and our profession as a whole. The AAAOM cannot do it alone; we need you, its members and its state members to act as well.

Some important situations that have come before us include the issue of dry needling. This is still alive and troublesome; Valerie Hobbs covered this issue in the previous Qi-Unity Report in a quite thorough and informative article. You can read the article here if you haven’t seen it yet.

New Jersey had a troubling day when a bill was passed in committee that allowed DC’s to practice with minimal training similar to MDs. On the same day, massage therapists were granted exclusive use of the term “Medical Qi Gong.” The good news is that this is not the end of either issue. The LAcs are not the only ones who do not like the DC bill, and the sponsor is no longer in office. Orthos, PTs and pharms also are against the chiropractor bill, and it will need a new sponsor to get back into committee. A copy of the Assembly bill can be found here (PDF) and the Senate bill here (PDF).

To keep this from moving forward, letters of support need to come from the individual states to help. The NJAAOM president, Candace Sarges, can take letters of support and would like to review anything anyone has to offer. She can be contacted at clsarges@yahoo.com. Let’s use our unified voice to help protect these and other issues NJ is working towards. They have a new lobbyist who is very active and helpful, so let’s do our part as well. Please contact to ask what your state association or individual self can do. Other pertinent information: A proposed new acupuncture bill may be found here (PDF).

Vermont is currently awaiting a case on the question of veterinarians’ practice of acupuncture on animals vs LAc’s ability to do the same. From what I understand, the gray area resides because nothing in the acupuncture scope of practice limits them to humans and the veternarians’ law has no clear mention of using acupuncture practice. There is a motion to dismiss the case as well as the case pending to keep vet acupuncture limited to vets only. We are waiting for the result.

In New York, Michael Taromina expects the bill allowing LAcs to include herbs in the scope should be coordinated by the end of the month and given in next session. The Bill can be read at nysacupuncture.org. Funds are needed for lobbyist, political contributions, meetings and letter writing. Key sponsorship is on its way. Mr. Taromina worked half of last year with the profession and united them. In NY, there is unity and consensus at this time. He would like AAAOM to take that unity and run with it so we can become nation-centric and not just state-centric. He feels we can start by getting the coasts linked together. This starts by the AAAOM getting noticed in NY to take this to a national focus. As far as potential adversaries in NY are concerned, he is mitigating them in advance(i.e. nurses, etc.). He says their budget is tight, but he is not billing for services; he feels lobbyist and political contributions are the focus of funding.

In Massachusetts there is a draft for acupuncture legislation revision getting prepped for '08; nothing imperative is problematic except for some clarifications. The public comment process will be in '08 and at that time the Massachusetts Acupuncture Association will supply points that need to be supported by the AOM community. We will stay in touch with the state presidents to seek the supported documents when necessary. In addition, the president, Nancy, suggested "I would love to see AAAOM offer regional board training - it could be a perk for people who are interested in being on a state association board and would help the boards function more smoothly." If anyone has a template, we would be happy to share it with everyone. If not, I expect I will be helping create one.

If I have not brought up an issue here that concerns your state it is because it hasn’t come before me yet. Let myself or another board member know how we can serve you or get your messages out. I am the chair of the state affairs; Lloyd Wright is my co-chair. He also serves as the chair for national affairs.* Through coordinated efforts, we can help move the profession forward from local to national levels.

Thanks for listening.

-Dr. Phranque Wright; DAOM, AP, LAc, NCCAOM DiplAc.-

AAAOM State Affairs Committee Chair

* Jokes about “Phranque and Lloyd Wright” as architects for the growth of AOM are certainly expected.

National AOM Issues

Integrator Blog News & Reports

Integration, by nature, asks us to open our peripheral visions. We are served to look at the whole of the field. We need to develop new fascia, new connectivity. Opportunities crop up in new places. The Integrator Blog News and Reports is meant to provide you with information, insights and tools to enhance integrated care in the environment you serve.

- John Weeks, publisher-editor

Integrator Special Report: Medicaid Integrative Therapies Pilot Project in Florida - Part 1, Overview

Medicaid costs are soaring. States are hurting. Strains from pain-related conditions factor in heavily. Meantime, surging prescriptions of pain medications create new sets of adverse consequences. Can an integrated care program featuring licensed acupuncturists, massage therapists and holistically-oriented nurse managers be part of the solution? Since 2002, via legislation and a Medicaid waiver, the state of Florida has engaged an "Integrative Therapies Pilot Project" to answer these questions. Chicago-based Alternative Medicine Integration Group (AMI) won the contract. This Integrator Special Report looks at AMI's clinical integration and payment model, patient and practitioner experience, and clinical outcomes and controversies in the analysis of costs and cost-savings. Is this a model which Medicaid should widely promote? Part 1 of this 5-part exploration is an overview of issues and findings.
More ...

Iowa Health Reform Poll: 68% of Voters Want Licensed CAM Professionals Covered in Basic Benefits

A broad-ranging survey on health reform topics by the Gilmore Research Group found that 68% of voters believe basic health care benefits should include coverage for any licensed health care professionals. Licensed professionals directly noted in the survey of 601 Iowa voters were "naturopathic physicians*, acupuncturists and chiropractors." The survey was commissioned by Code Blue Now!, a national, non-partisan, not-for-profit citizen organization formed to build public consensus in health care policy. The Iowa population was strategically selected to have a maximum influence on the healthcare reform debate.
More ...

Understanding the "CAM Voter" - More from the CodeBlueNow! Poll of Iowa Voters

A recent poll on health reform issues commissioned by the non-partisan organization CodeBlueNow! found that 68% of Iowa voters favored inclusion of licensed CAM practitioners in basic benefits plans. The unusual inclusion of this complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) question in a broader reform survey created an opportunity to learn more about the opinions of the pro-CAM voter. How? One can examine "cross-tabulations" of outcomes on this question with outcomes of others. For example, are these voters aligned with investment in prevention? with a stronger role for the government? with employers in the driver's seat? with for universal coverage? Thanks to CodeBlueNow! we have an initial level of informed speculation.
More ...

Guest Column: David Matteson on the Shared Destiny of Integrative Medicine and the Natural Products Industry

How connected is the growing natural products industry and the industry that is represented by the vast expansion of complementary, alternative, integrative and holistic practitioners? Does the public separate the two? Do elected officials? Are their destinies intertwined? What is the optimal relationship between these two entities? David Matteson, a consultant and strategic thinker with deep connections in both these universes, has given a good deal of thought to the "parallel play" of these two natural health care forces. His guest column opens an Integrator dialogue on the optimal relationship between these two entities.
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Guest Column: Managed CAM Executive Adrian Langford on Relations Between the Natural Products Industry and CAM Practitioners

A recent Integrator column by David Matteson opened a forum on the optimal relationship between the natural products industry and the practitioner organizations which represent those who use natural products in their treatment of patients. Matteson suggested that failure to more deeply ally closes off opportunities. Here, Adrian Langford probes into both the upside and downside of the potential. Langford is a 20-year managed care executive with the last decade in managing complementary and integrative health care networks. He is currently vice president for Alternative Medicine Integration Group of Florida, the firm responsible for the Medicaid pilot.
More ...

Resources

Integrator Archive by Subject for January-June 2007
More ...

Integrator Archive by Subject for 2006: All Hot-linked
More ...

Integrator Blog News & Reports

Integration, by nature, asks us to open our peripheral visions. We are served to look at the whole of the field. We need to develop new fascia, new connectivity. Opportunities crop up in new places. The Integrator Blog News and Reports is meant to provide you with information, insights and tools to enhance integrated care in the environment you serve.

- John Weeks, publisher-editor

Acupuncture for Ford Motor Company Employees: Challenges in Mounting an Integrative Medicine Pilot Project

Ford Motor Company is offering acupuncture to a limited group of employees suffering from low back pain as part of a pilot project at their Kentucky Truck Plant. Walter Talamonti, MD, Ford's corporate medical director, has a sterling group of partners for the project. First, he developed it through the Corporate Health Improvement Project directed by Kenneth Pelletier, PhD, MD (hc). Pelletier helped him bring in a top clinical trialist for acupuncture, Brian Berman, MD, from the University of Maryland. The plan was simple enough: run 100 employees through the program then go to the NIH for a larger project. Only, as Talamonti shared with attendees of the recent conference of the Institute for Health and Productivity Management (IHPM), something is happening on the way to the forum. Linking a major employer and its unions with an academic health center in a state which did not yet license acupuncturists created some unexpected obstacles.
More ...

Therapeutic Order: An Interview with Roger Chou, MD, on Pain Guideline which Includes Acupuncture Among “Non-Pharmacological Approaches”

Analysis of the new "integrative" pain guideline published by the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society provoked questions. The guideline notes spinal manipulation, acupuncture, massage, exercise, yoga, cognitive-behavioral approaches. But they are mentioned last, with an asterisk: only these were tagged as "weak recommendation." What is the recommended therapeutic order, here? I contacted internist Roger Chou, MD, the lead author of the guideline, at his base at Oregon Health and Science University. Chou commented candidly on the panel's thinking about these "non-pharmacological" approaches in the guideline's development.
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Medicaid Integrative Therapies Pilot, Part 2: Holistic Nurse Management of Covered Benefits for Services of Acupuncturists and Licensed Massage Therapists, Plus

Imagine you have the opportunity to create an integrative therapies program for a chronic pain population. Your boss is the Florida state legislature. For the first time, thanks to a Medicaid waiver, limited services of massage therapists and licensed acupuncturists can be included. Your outcomes will be measured and published. What goes into such a program? How does one manage it? Such was the problem set and opportunity handed Alternative Medicine Integration Group (AMI) when the firm won a contract under the Florida MediPass program in 2003. So far so good for AMI: Florida's legislature extended the contract in 2007 following reports of positive clinical and cost savings. This article, Part 2 of a 5-part series, examines the management and care process.
More ...

Iowa Health Reform Poll: 68% of Voters Want Licensed Acupuncturists, NDs, and Massage Therapists Covered in Basic Benefits

A broad-ranging survey on health reform topics by the Gilmore Research Group found that 68% of voters believe basic health care benefits should include coverage for any licensed health care professionals. Licensed professionals directly noted in the survey of 601 Iowa voters were "naturopathic physicians*, acupuncturists and chiropractors." The survey was commissioned by Code Blue Now!, a national, non-partisan, not-for-profit citizen organization formed to build public consensus in health care policy. The Iowa population was strategically selected to have a maximum influence on the healthcare reform debate.
More ...

Wellspace/SickSpace: Reflections on a Pioneering Integrative Clinic with Massage and Acupuncture Focus Gone Down for the Count

Wellspace, the pioneering, 10,000 square foot integrative center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has gone belly up. Founder Mort Rosenthal, one of the more intriguing entrepreneurs in the field, tested a business model and concluded that his goal of a national roll-out of similar clinics was not possible. He sold the firm. To all accounts, the Harvard pedigreed characters who held the reins in the organization's death throes were a different breed. Within short months of a January 24, 2007 press release which waxed eloquently about the venture's future, the two shut the operation's doors. A trial of emails from disgruntled parties reached the Integrator, seeking information about how to get paid back on broken promises and bad debt. Here is a short review of an immensely instructive, if unsuccessful, venture, together with a concluding comparison with Massage Envy, which appears to have broken the code for a successful, national, complementary healthcare services business.
More ...

Resources

Integrator Archive by Subject for January-June 2007
More ...

Integrator Archive by Subject for 2006: All Hot-linked
More ...

Practice Management

Bauer Interview

This month the Qi-Unity Report looks at how the public absorbs the cultural underpinnings of acupuncture through an interview with Matt Bauer, LAc, author of The Healing Power of Acupressure and Acupuncture.

QUR: What led you to write a non-academic look at acupuncture?

MB: From the earliest days of beginning my practice in 1986, I felt as though the acupuncture and Oriental medicine (AOM) profession had an obligation to inform the public about the tremendously valuable healing resource these practices represent. I was invited to work with a state AOM professional association, and I assumed that one of that organization’s top priorities would be public education and outreach. After a few frustrating years of trying to get the leadership of that organization to work on public education, I saw this was not going to happen. During this same time, many of my patients would tell me that the explanations I offered to them about acupuncture and Oriental medicine theory really made a lot of sense and that I should write a book about it. I decided I would give it a shot and began a ten year ordeal.

QUR: What does your book do that other acupuncture publications do not?

MB: Well, to the best of my knowledge, my book may be the first in history that attempts to trace not only the practice of acupuncture but the theories behind Oriental medicine to their earliest roots.

QUR: That’s a pretty tall order. What made you think you could do that and why did you think doing so would help the public appreciate AOM today?

MB: I had been pondering what our profession would need to do to help the public better understand what this healing system offered, and it struck me that one of our greatest obstacles was our inability to explain how acupuncture began. Next to being asked if acupuncture hurts and how it works, the most common question acupuncturists are asked is: “How did they ever come up with the idea of sticking needles in people in the first place?” I believed our inability to answer this question left skeptics assuming acupuncture was based on some superstitious notions, and this was hurting acupuncture’s acceptance.

As for why I thought I could address these issues, part of that is my tendency to bite off more than I can chew, but mostly it was because I had a teacher whom I felt had more direct insights into early Chinese culture than any one else I knew – a 36th generation Taoist Master named Ni Hua-Ching. Master Ni never directly taught about the roots of Oriental medicine per se, but he did touch on some very remarkable insights regarding early Chinese culture I felt were critical clues that could help address the mystery about Oriental medicine’s roots. I like to say that the mystery regarding the roots of acupuncture and Oriental medicine is as great as that surrounding the origins of the pyramids or Stonehenge. Remarkably, as I delved deeply into this subject, I also came to believe that the inspiration for all of these ancient mysteries had a common source - that source being ancient astronomy.

QUR: Ancient astronomy? What does astronomy have to do with acupuncture?

MB: That is a very complex subject, too deep to cover here, but in my book I make the case that ancient astronomy was the single greatest inspiration behind the concepts of yin/yang, the Five Elements/Phases, and the jing-lou/meridian system we still follow today. The desire of ancient people to understand the movements of the heavenly spheres pushed the envelope of human thought and inspired formal systems for measuring time and space. It also spawned the idea within the world’s first budding civilizations that human life should be organized to mirror the order of the heavens. It is in the formal systems that these first great civilizations put into place to organize these rapidly growing populations that we find the organizing systems used in Chinese medicine. In other words, it seems most likely that after the early Chinese made the transition from hunter-gatherers into herders-cultivators and then into larger civilizations, they began organizing their society – including their folk healing knowledge - with principals inspired by their astronomy.

I tried to lay out my theories in a step by step manner, but my editor cut four of these six chapters saying they were better suited for something like Harvard University Press rather than a popular press. This bothered me at first because I had taken years to construct these theories, but in the end I had to admit my editor was right. I was trying to write for both the public AND the AOM profession. Doing that would have made the book too complex for the general public. The skeleton of my theories still remain in my book and that’s good, but a lot of the supporting framework is missing. I hope to eventually get this material out if there is an interest in it. As it is now, my book covers some very deep concepts in a scant 90 pages or so. The second half of the book explains what kinds of conditions are treatable with acupuncture, what training acupuncturists receive, and it ends with a section showing some acupressure techniques for common problems.

QUR: Is there a cultural gap that keeps Americans from trying acupuncture?

MB: Yes and no. The cultural differences are less a factor today then they were 20 years ago. Today, many Americans have heard good things about acupuncture and there is a wide interest in it, but it is the fear of not knowing what to expect from the acupuncturist that keeps people from picking up a phone book and locating an acupuncturist. This is why I am convinced that if our professional associations were to help the public understand that acupuncturists are licensed, trained, educated professionals, we would see a tremendous boost in patient load.

Many Americans say they are afraid acupuncture will be painful, but what they are really afraid of is the acupuncturist. The public knows nothing about our training and tends to think that anyone can hang out a shingle and call himself an acupuncturist. Contrast that to the dental profession. People have largely gotten over their fear of dentistry because they have come to trust that their dentist will manage their care without too much discomfort. But because the public does not have a positive image of acupuncturists as trained health professionals, they just don’t pick up the phone. We need to get the message out that acupuncturists are caring, educated, professionals and then the public will start to trust that these professionals have the discomfort of the treatment under control. I tried to get this across in my book, but it is our professional associations who bear the main responsibility to disseminate this message.

QUR: Do you think the integration movement is parting ways with AOM roots?

MB: Are you asking if the movement toward so-called “Integrative Medicine” is a threat to the roots of AOM?

QUR: Yes.

MB: Well, it might be in its present guise, but it shouldn’t. What we all need to understand is that there are two major types of medical approaches. One seeks to take over for the body and heal from the outside in. The other seeks to encourage the self healing ability of the body to heal from the inside out. In my book, I called these two “Action” medicine and “Reaction” medicine, although I now call these “Outside” medicine and “Inside” medicine. Modern medicine is 98% Outside medicine while acupuncture is 100% Inside medicine. Both of these approaches have their strengths and weaknesses – my book contains a chart of these – and both are needed. Outside medicine excels at salvaging life and limb when the body’s ability to heal itself is overmatched. Acupuncture is the most advanced form of Inside medicine, and Inside medicine excels at helping the body to heal itself and prevent or slow decline.

What we should be doing in integrative medicine is triaging patients into one or the other of these two, or a reasoned combination of both, based on the nature of the pathology and the strengths and weaknesses of these two approaches. Unfortunately, these two approaches have not yet been recognized as such, and we keep using useless terms like “conventional” and “alternative” or “modern” and “traditional” or “scientific” and “empiric” medicine. None of those terms helps us understand the differences in the way these two approaches work and thus don’t help us understand how to triage patients appropriately.

If we recognize these two approaches for what they are and that acupuncture is the most advanced form of Inside medicine, we should not have to worry about it being ruined by integrative medicine. We should worry however, about it being ruined from other health care providers who want to control acupuncture as a procedure explainable in Western science terms.

QUR: What advice do you have to practitioners looking to overcome the objections of leery patients?

MB: On the small scale of your own practices, get out there and let the public see you. Speak at public functions like local business networks or schools, etc. Let people know you are not someone to be fearful of. Behave like a professional and that will generate trust. On the larger scale of the profession as a whole, encourage your professional associations to make public education a higher priority. We could accomplish so much if we were to implement a comprehensive public education campaign. The interest is there--we just have to address the fear of the unknown.

QUR: Is the AOM profession doing the right things to tell the story of acupuncture?

MB: I think we are doing the wrong thing by not telling the story of acupuncturists. I hate to beat a dead horse here, but this is the biggest problem we face. We keep talking about acupuncture and not explaining about acupuncturists. The AOM profession needs to step out of the shadows and establish ourselves in the public eye as the leading authority on AOM. We need to establish an identity as educated, health care professionals who have the greatest training and expertise in AOM. This will not only lead to a flood of new patients for our practices but offer the best protection for our future.

QUR: What do you think the AAAOM can do better to bridge the knowledge gap between practitioners and the public?

MB: We need to establish the AAAOM as the top authority on the subject of A/OM in the eyes of the media and public just as the AMA is for modern medicine in the U.S. As it is now, the media does not automatically think of checking with the AAAOM if they are going to do a story on AOM. Frankly, I have seen more stories in the press that have had input from the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA) than from the AAOM, Alliance, or now the AAAOM. A lot of people in our profession have tried over the years to stop other professions from practicing acupuncture without a full education and licensing but that has long been a lost cause. We were never strong enough to stop others from practicing. If we would have spent the same time and energy promoting ourselves as the top authorities in AOM instead, we would be in a much stronger position today. There is still time to do this, but every year that passes without us actively promoting ourselves as the cream of the crop, leaves us that much more vulnerable.

QUR: Are you planning to write another book?

MB: I would like to write several books, but people keep pestering me, wanting me to stick needles in them. No, seriously, I want to write more about what I have learned from my Taoist studies regarding our early ancestors’ spiritual insights and how that is relevant today. I also would like to write about specific healing knowledge and techniques, but my first responsibility is to my patients.

QUR: Where should we direct inquiries about The Healing Power of Acupressure and Acupuncture?

MB: I have a website at www.MatthewDBauer.com that has a link to an Amazon.com page for my book and also a link to email me. My site also has pages with some of the articles I have written. I am considering starting a blog for those interested in discussing the roots of Oriental medicine and who knows what else.

CAM Services Increased in Hospitals

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is increasing in hospitals due to patient's demands as more Americans are finding relief through alternative forms of health care. Hospitals have increasingly expanded programs in order to attract this patient base as well as to optimize care options. CAM inpatient programs nearly doubled between 1998 and 2001, as attitudes and perceptions toward alternative medicine change, and they keep increasing. The Journal of the American Medical Association states that 42 percent of U.S. adults receive at least one of sixteen alternative therapies surveyed.

The east north central region of the U.S. (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin) continues to lead the nation in number of hospitals that offer CAM programs, and the western part of the country isn't far behind, with schools like Pacific College of Oriental Medicine making strides to expand knowledge of traditional medicine and to get it practiced more widely. The top six therapies offered by the AHA member hospitals and sought by Americans include massage therapy, tai ji, yoga, qi gong, relaxation trainings, acupuncture, guided imagery, and therapeutic touch. Studies showed that Americans paid for most of these services out of pocket, spending $13.7 billion annually on CAM products and services, making it an attractive market for many struggling hospitals. Other reasons for the increase in CAM services include clinical effectiveness and a reflection of the hospital's desire to treat the whole person - body and spirit. Physician resistance is the number one reason why hospitals do not opt for CAM services, a trend that is likely to change, as 60% of medical schools now offer CAM courses, and efforts by schools such as Pacific College of Oriental Medicine are making strides to expand knowledge of traditional medicine.

Hospitals will continue to begin CAM programs as they review new research that validates efficacy, educate physicians and hire licensed professionals.

Researchers, Writers, Practitioners and the Authors of Perfect Breath

It all began with a simple conversation. How many ways does breathing impact what we do?

It might seem like a sophomoric question, but out of that exchange, Pacific Northwest authors Alfred Lee and Don Campbell began a 10 year exploration of the effects of breath awareness on how we perform as humans. In the course of their research and writing they have uncovered a mountain of historically significant anecdotal data about the breath – gleaned from meditation masters, healers, and others - and also the most current scientific and academic evidence on the power of the breath.

Their brainstorming led to interviews with everyone from East-West medical man Deepak Chopra to mountaineer Ed Viesturs (who has climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen), to death-and-dying expert Stephen Levine. In their new book Perfect Breath (Sterling, Spring 2008), they researched the effects of conscious breathing on every aspect of human life, from birth to death, from breathing’s physical effects, to its implications on health and well-being, the emotions, creativity, understanding the spirit, and its role in death and dying.

“We’ve done some 50 interviews for the book,” says Lee, who is also a nationally recognized speaker and seminar presenter on breathwork, “with people from all walks of life – athletes, doctors and researchers, actors and singers, a Zen archer, a Pilates instructor, a midwife, ballet dancers, fighter pilots, a NASA astronaut, and religious masters. The common tie was the breath as it applied to their pursuits. It grew out of our thinking about how influential the breath is in nearly everything we do. It is the common denominator across every dimension of our life. From being born, to overcoming the effects of illness and stress, to pursuing some sense of spirituality, breathing and its effects ripple through all these things.”

Their research bore far more than cerebral results. “What’s been the most salient aspect of our work is that even the simplest awareness brings great results,” says Campbell, a freelance writer. “It’s far more than just feeling good from meditating. It’s accessible to everybody, it’s available all the time in any circumstance, doesn’t require any fancy equipment or huge commitment of time to learn. It’s amazing how many people can’t draw a full breath. Once they learn that it’s an excellent way to not only stay in the present, but the way to fuel their whole being – body, mind and soul – they’re well on their way to having it become an automatic response or practice to beat stress, avoid being sick, and be more productive.”

Predictably, the two found centuries of evidence, from ancient Taoist, Buddhist, Hindu and other teachings on how the breath is at the core of being. But as those teachings are awakened in the West, far more empirical data is being gathered and tested by science.

“We were astounded by the work being done by medical researchers like Dr. Migdow, Dr. Peper, and other researchers,” says Lee. “They’re quantifying, and affirming what the ancient yogis were teaching. It has practical applications that resonate throughout our society. Stress is a killer that impacts job performance and work attendance. What science is discovering is that simple breath awareness can counteract the effects of stress. The body is an amazing machine, and the breath is the engine.”

Lee and Campbell have established www.perfectbreath.com as a kind of clearinghouse of information, while their research and writing continues. “There is still a lot to uncover and understand,” says Lee, a teacher of martial arts and a student of yoga, qi gong and meditation. “With our book, we’ve only nicked the surface. What’s profound is the cross ties with breathing across all kinds of disciplines and pursuits. We’re coming to a more complete scientific understanding of how it works, which will lead to more effective ways to employ breathing awareness in our everyday lives. But incorporating even the simplest breathing exercises and techniques now can offer tremendous results.”

Understanding the Psychology of Patient Referrals

By Bill Reddy, LAc

So you consider yourself a competent acupuncturist with many years experience and a good track record of patient response rates? Why, then, aren’t you getting a maximum number of referrals from the patients you’ve treated over the years?

First and foremost, you have to ask for referrals. Many acupuncturists are uncomfortable about asking their patients for referrals. Most patients think “this acupuncturist has a booming practice and may not even be accepting new patients…” Let’s put ourselves in the patient’s shoes. You refer a good friend to your dentist (she’s professional, doesn’t charge an arm and a leg and has good bedside manner.) Your friend returns from his visit and says “Unbelievable! Her front desk staff was rude to me, I had to wait over an hour to see her, and she charged me for x-rays that weren’t even taken!” Of course you’re horrified and embarrassed. And that will be the last referral your dentist will receive from you. The number one thing your patient wants when they refer you a new patient is to be a hero. They want their friend/family member/associate to come back to them and say “Thank you so much for hooking me up with your acupuncturist! She was gentle and accommodating, and overall it was a wonderful experience.”

So that’s what we need to do. We need to create an environment that meets and exceeds the expectations of the patient. This begins with the first phone call – is your receptionist happy and upbeat? When the patient arrives in your office, do they just get handed the intake form, or does your front desk staff stand up and personally greet them hand the patient their intake form, and ask them if they’d like some water or hot tea while they’re filling it out? All of these small things add up. Make sure your staff understands that they play a very critical part in the patient’s overall experience. Remember why they come see us in the first place – because they feel that their MDs don’t take the time to listen to them. So listen. Don’t explain the complexities of heart fire. Give them your undivided attention, and they’ll appreciate it.

Tell them that you intend to give them the highest quality healthcare that you can deliver and ask them to tell you if there’s anything they dislike about the experience (your office staff, the temperature of the treatment room, the cleanliness of the waiting room, etc.) Give them your solemn promise that their feedback matters to you. This emphasizes to them that you seriously care about how they feel as a patient in your clinic. After their first treatment, be sure to call them to see how they’re feeling. Ask if they have any additional questions since the first evaluation was filled with a good deal of information. Studies have shown that doctors with the busiest practices always call their patients after their first visit.

After several treatments, when you feel they’ve developed a decent level of trust with you, when they’re feeling good and are getting ready to leave, mention that you do not advertise at all. Tell them your practice is a “word of mouth” practice. I shake my head and say “everyone seems to be getting better…but that’s a good thing.” Since this opens slots in my schedule, I have space for new patients – tell them to “please don’t keep me a secret!” Then hand them two cards and say something like “I bet you have a friend or co-worker who could benefit from acupuncture or herbal medicine.”

Another thing that’s critical in this age of chronically busy people is to be sure to touch every patient that comes through your door. If they have shoulder pain, do some passive movement of the shoulder after the treatment and some tui na. If you’re treating an internal disorder, take 5-10 minutes to do some qi gong with your hands under their head like a cranio-sacral therapist does, or work with your hands on their feet. This is something they never get when they see any other healthcare professional (except for massage therapists or PTs).

If you haven’t trained in qi gong, then place your hands under the patient’s head or on their feet and try to relax every muscle in your body and clear your mind of extraneous thoughts- then focus on them. Healing happens. And it shows that you care enough to spend that time with a patient. They’ll leave your office lighter. Also get in the habit of asking them what good thing has happened to them recently. Always keep them thinking in a positive direction. When a patient refers a friend, be sure to send the referring patient a thank you note. This helps reinforce their behavior and sincerely shows your appreciation for their effort.

I saw a young man who was suffering from night sweats and itching all over his body from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He wanted a second opinion after seeing an acupuncturist in the area who is well-known and specializes in cancer. His lung pulse was weak, so I complimented him on how healthy his other pulses felt and mentioned that over 90% of people who have this type of lymphoma survive. He decided to stick with me for treatment and later mentioned that the cancer specialist told him how weak his lung pulse was and that approximately 10% of lymphoma patients die. (We both provided him with the same information.) The reason he chose to be my patient was that I made him feel good and gave him hope.

Never underestimate the power of words. When your patient goes from five sodas down to two sodas per day, treat him or her like a rock star. Tell them how proud you are of their discipline Reinforce their improved energy and the quality of their sleep now that they stopped drinking coffee all day. These are all incredibly positive changes they’re making in their lives which empower their own health and well-being. It will prompt them to tell others about your services enthusiastically. To find out more about attracting new patients and managing the ones your currently are treating, a number of courses are offered through Blue Poppy Press, Greg Stanley of Whitehall Management Services, and others advertising in Acupuncture Today and The American Acupuncturist.

SaTerra Vishnu Interview

QUR: What is your show called and where does it air?

SV: The show is called “Holistically Speaking.” It airs every Thursday from 11am till noon on 790 AM, WLBE, in central Florida.

QUR: What gave you the idea to do a radio show?

SV: This continues to support a passion of mine which is to educate the public while utilizing the power of media to infect a larger audience than possible by word of mouth or print.

During the late 70s and early 80s, I was executive director on a project called the Robert F. Kennedy Scholarship Fund.. Anchored out of Cleveland, Ohio, and utilizing the power of “rock and roll” and professional sports, this charitable foundation provided educational and vocational opportunities as an alternative to incarceration for first time juvenile felony offenders. For three years we blanketed the state of Ohio with television, radio ads, and interviews. This multi-media approach set the stage for me to follow this up with a mass media approach in my continued passion to educate the public on AOM.

QUR: How long has your show been on the air?

SV: I have been broadcasting locally here in central Florida since 1998. The show began as two half-hour shows every Tuesday and Thursday for 4 years, then moved to an hour show on Saturday mornings from 9:00am til 10:00am. We combined our educational efforts in AOM with a local project building awareness for a self-sufficient cooperative holistic community. I then continued on my own with a half-hour once weekly show, and when a time slot opened for a full hour, I grabbed it and used it to evolve the scope of the AOM message and bring my life partner in as co-host.

QUR: Do you think practitioners are doing enough to engage the public about their work?

SV: A FEW...BUT NOT MANY...if we take a close look at the chiropractic community or any other successful healthcare provider group, what we see is a group spending the time and money COLLECTIVELY to educate their local community. As a result, this creates very successful practices for those willing to put forth the effort. EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IS ESSENTIAL TO A SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE AND A SATISFIED PATIENT!!!

QUR: Do you ever find it difficult to answer a specific health care question on the radio?

SV: It’s a relative question...if the caller tells me they have a chronic cough and a stuffed up nose in the morning and does not tell me they consume large amounts of dairy, alcohol (cheese and wine) and also have been smoking cigarettes for 40 years, it can seem impossible to give them a hint on what they must alter to change their condition. But when you ask the right question to elicit an expanded level of reality, it’s amazing what quality of educational experience can come forth! When this happens everyone benefits, including me. The venue of radio can be a truly powerful experience for listeners as well as the host!

QUR: Has your radio show changed the way you communicate with your patients?

SV: Absolutely! Over my nine year journey, I have experienced an increased level of compassion and listening. I have learned to keep your heart open, without judgment, and to TRULY LISTEN to my patients. This is the most important point I can offer any individual in the healing arts, especially AOM. An increased ability to hear the quality of a person’s voice offers wonderful insights into their pathology and helps to “cut to the chase” in assisting them to a new level of balance and health. It’s all about putting into practice what the Su Wen, Ling Shu and Law of the 5 Elements has taught us.

QUR: In your opinion, is the story of AOM getting out to the public?

SV: That’s a great question with variety of answers. I was reminded of this two weeks ago when I was asked to provide my services to a private detox retreat in the midst of the Ocala National Forest. It got me thinking of an internship I did in 1987 at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx with Dr. Michael Smith. I looked at the NADA certificate hanging on my office wall and found that my certification number is #057. I was shocked! Today NADA is an international organization which is helping people with addictions all over the world! The NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) organization, based upon numbers communicated to me about an hour ago by the NADA office manager, currently has around 20,000 trained professionals in the U.S and close to 50,000 worldwide. A truly wonderful aspect of how AOM changes peoples lives. With this fact in hand, we are faced with an incredible imbalance. The collective hours spent each day broadcasting advertisements to the public for allopathic drugs only on the major networks like ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN is nothing short of astounding and remarkable! This is what we are up against and what MUST be changed by the AOM community by utilizing the power of mass media to open the minds and hearts of the American public to overcome any fears and embrace this ancient non-linear holistic medicine.

QUR: Do you think Americans still experience a cultural barrier when it comes to accepting AOM treatments?

SV: Yes! But, as I have just stated, this can and will change when a more consistent media approach, paid for by all of us in this industry...educator, supplier, insurer and practitioner, combines our talents and financial resources to consistently inform a public hungry for an approach to TRUE HEALTH AND BALANCE. A win/win for all!

QUR: Would you encourage other practitioners to use the media to further the profession?

SV: I believe this is a really vital aspect of anyone’s OM practice. Whether it is print, radio, or television, the most important point in all of this is to “Get Your Face Out There.” By placing yourself out there consistently, the public will begin to see value in this very different and very effective form of traditional medicine.

QUR: Do you envision yourself doing this show in ten years? Why or why not?

SV: As with all things, change as Tao teaches us...is constant. Knowing this, it is my desire to continue to expand and uplift the quality of the show and the number of those who listen to and utilize its information. Broadcasting, speaking, and writing on poignant, modern day health issues and how they can successfully be handled with AOM is in itself a lifelong adventure.

QUR: What practice management advice do you have for people just entering the profession?

SV: Right from the start...set aside a consistent amount of time and money to dedicate to marketing and advertising. Consistently book yourself with community groups to speak on current health topics using the AOM understanding. Volunteer your time at a local homeless shelter or youth organization as well as find the time to talk to classes at the local schools in your area. Join a local gym, yoga studio, running or roller-blade group and communicate who you are and what you do to the staff and members. Just do anything which stretches you and expands your sphere of influence...and be consistent!

AAAOM Activities

AAAOM Conference and Exposition 2008
Call for Speakers

For the interactive form prepared for receiving Speaker Proposals, see Call for Speakers 2008.


AAAOM Conference and Exposition 2008
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine: Your Passport to Better Health
October 16-20, 2008
(Pre and Post Conference Activities are under Consideration)
Location: Westin North Shore - Chicago, Illinois

Call for Speakers
Sponsored by:


DUE DATE: JANUARY 11, 2008 – 5 pm Pacific Daylight Time
NOTIFICATION DATE: MARCH 1, 2008

The AAAOM 2008 Conference brings together AOM health professionals and faculty members from throughout the United States, as well as current fellows and master’s students in AOM programs to share a common interest in innovation and excellence in AOM.

In soliciting proposals, the AAAOM Conference Planning Committee (AAAOM-CPC) has the following objectives:

PROPOSAL CATEGORIES
The AAAOM-CPC will review proposals for relevance to AOM, clarity, ability to obtain CEU approval, and potential to engage participants in meaningful dialogue.

Workshops shall be conducted in the following topic areas (Tracks): (A diversity of subject-matter may be discussed within each Track.)

Under the aforementioned Tracks, the following proposal types will be considered.

  1. Skill-Building Workshops: The focus for these sessions will be on skill acquisition and active participation. Participants should gain capacity in the ability to provide patient care. The workshops can be proposed for 2 or 4 hour time slots. Abstracts should include the rationale for the workshop, the intended audience, learner outcome objectives and the instructional methods to be used. (Most workshops will be selected from this category.)

    Each 4-hour class will be expected to take a 30-minute break. A minimum of 20 minutes must be allocated to Q & A, unless the presenter facilitates on-going attendee interaction.

  2. Case Study and Panels: Case Studies should be designed to explore clinical issues more deeply by encouraging discussion of a real-life experience and pertinent issues. Examples of such cases would be: a successful or unsuccessful attempt to provide patient care, experience with a challenging case, or even overcoming a barrier to professional advancement. The presentation time for a case will be 10 minutes with 20 minutes for discussion. Again, Case Studies will be grouped together as a panel discussion. Case Study abstracts should include the teaching or leadership issue/lesson, a brief description of the case and three discussion questions.

  3. AOM Innovations (may be selected for presentation or poster) Three levels of project development are being solicited.
    • Innovative Ideas – Investigators can submit their idea for a promising innovation and gain feedback from other participants who also bring their ideas to these sessions. The abstract must include the following sections: idea, rationale for the idea and/or the local need it is intended to meet, as well as intended methods and evaluation plan as envisioned.
    • Works in Progress – Investigators can submit an innovation that is in progress (can be a pilot study or an ongoing project with partial results). These innovations may be selected for poster or oral presentation. Studies in trouble are welcome here.
    • Completed Studies – Investigators can submit studies with outcome results. These innovations may be selected for poster or oral presentation. Both successful and unsuccessful innovations are welcome.

    Abstracts for Works in Progress or Completed Studies should follow the format: Rationale/Need, Methods, Results and Discussion.

  4. Evaluation Process: All submissions will be evaluated for completeness and strength of contribution to AOM as practiced today.

For interactive sessions (workshops, cases, panels), the following criteria will be used in the review of abstracts:

  1. Clarity of rationale/purpose for session/case;
  2. Clarity of learner outcome objectives for session or case;
  3. Clarity of description of interactive activities for participants;
  4. Practical significance of topic and skills to Conference participants;
  5. Effective use of time;
  6. Overall rating of session or case abstract.

For Proposals related to Innovations (Innovative Ideas, Works in Progress, Completed Works), the following criteria will be used in the review of abstracts:

  1. Quality of rationale/identified need for innovation (theoretical or practical);
  2. Clarity of description of innovation;
  3. Originality of innovation and relevance to the Conference;
  4. Clarity of methods for implementation and evaluation;
  5. Results (if applicable) described clearly with appropriate conclusions;
  6. Overall rating of abstract.

QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SUITABILITY OR CATEGORIZATION OF A PROPOSAL:
If you have questions about the suitability of your proposal, please contact the AAAOM Office, Rebekah Christensen, Executive Director, at rchristensen@aaaomonline.org and she will respond or refer your query to our Conference Committee.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

In order to ensure the review of your proposal, you must submit ALL of the following by January 11, 2008, at 5:00PM, Pacific Standard Time. Late applications will not be accepted. Please review each mandatory submission requirement, to assure all documentation is attached. You will be notified of the acceptance/rejection of your proposal by February 15, 2008. If accepted, you must confirm that you will present by February 22, 2008.

GENERAL PROVISIONS:
(Please complete any requested information and indicate you understand the terms and conditions as set forth.)

WORKSHOPS
Workshops will be conducted for a timeframe consisting of 2 hours, or 4 hours.

CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE
Presenters of 4-hour workshops will receive free entrance to the conference.

ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET and OVERNIGHT REIMBURSEMENT
Presenters of 4-hour workshops will receive:

TRAVEL

HONORARIUMS
Honorariums will be extended on a NON-CASH BASIS ONLY and will be awarded in the form of a new membership in the association, or the extension of a current membership.

Presenters may not submit claims covering any expenses that are not outlined above. AAAOM will make payment of presenter compensation on the terms identified and agreed to at the proposal submission stage only.

Compensation Summary: (Will not exceed the cash & non-cash values shown.)

Four-Hour Workshop
Free Conference Attendance Value: $425-$575
(No Pre- Post-Conference Classes
One Overnight: $184 (Room/Tax Only)
One Banquet Value: $75
Travel Reimbursement: $250 (Total)
Honorarium (Non-Cash): One Year Membership/Renewal in AAAOM (Value $250)
Total Value: $1184-$1334 est.

Two-Hour Workshop
Free Conference Attendance Value: $425-$575
(No Pre- Post-Conference Classes)
Travel Reimbursement: $150 (Total)
Honorarium (Non-Cash): 6-Month Membership/Renewal in AAAOM (Value $125)
Total Value: $700-$825 est.

OTHER

Product and/or Service Announcements
Presenters will not be allowed to promote products or services during their presentations. If workshop attendees make product or service queries, the presenter must defer response to the query until the completion of the class. Presenters found disobeying this rule will not be invited as a return presenter and will not be reimbursed for any compensation as outlined.

Proposal Submission Deadline: (January 11, 2008)
If a would-be presenter’s application package (inclusive of all information requested) is not received by the due dates indicated, the proposal will not be considered by the 2008 AAAOM-CPC.

If selected as a presenter, I agree to submit materials to the AAAOM office by the deadline dates listed below:

"In submission of this abstract, I, the undersigned, have completed all required information, and have read and agree to the terms and conditions as set forth above, including the travel and compensation package identified."

For your proposal to be considered, you must sign below signifying that you are in agreement to the terms and conditions listed.

______________________________________________________
Print Name

Date: ___/___/___

______________________________________________________
Signature

Congratulations, you have finished the submission process...THANK YOU!

If any information is missing, we will be sending an e-mail advising you that your incomplete submission will not receive consideration until all information has been submitted.

The AAAOM Conference Committee will be notifying all persons submitting proposals by February 15, 2008.

If selected, you will have until February 22, 2008 to accept AAAOM's offer to present at our 2008 Conference and Exposition (October 16-20) at the Westin North Shore in Chicago, Illinois.

--The AAAOM 2008 Conference Committee

AAAOM Welcomes New Board Members and Officers

New Board Members and Officers Elected at the Portland Conference

Among the exciting events that took place at the 2007 AAAOM Annual Conference and Expo in Portland, Oregon, were the annual elections to the AAAOM Board of Directors. Bonnie Povolny MS, L.Ac. (Vermont) and Phranque Wright DAOM, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac. (Florida) were elected to each serve a 3 year term as a Board Director, and Farolyn McSweeney OMD, L.Ac. (Nevada) and Lloyd G Wright DNBAO, L.Ac. (Arizona) were each elected to serve a one-year term as an Alternate Board Director. Welcome Bonnie, Phranque, Farolyn, and Lloyd!

Also in Portland, new Officers were elected each for a one year term. The new AAAOM President is Martin Herbkersman MTOM, DAc. (South Carolina); Vice-President is Corinne Axelrod MPH, LAc, DiplAc. (Maryland); Treasurer is P. Shane Burras LAc, DNBAO (California); Secretary is Bill Reddy BS, MS, L.Ac. (Virginia); and VP for Corporate Events is Deborah Lincoln RN, MSN, RAc. NCCAOM (Michigan).

For a full listing of all Directors, their biosketch, and contact information, as well as elections of the AAAOM Student Organization, Presidential Advisors, and bylaw changes, please visit our website www.aaaomonline.org/?pagenumber=4010.

AAAOM Seeks Public Member Nominations

Public Member Sought to Serve on the AAAOM Board

The AAAOM values highly the participation of its public members on the Board of Directors. We are particularly interested in persons with a passion for Acupuncture and Oriental medicine who bring skills that will complement those of the other board members. Public members are appointed by the board of directors and serve a one year term, with a maximum of 3 consecutive terms. The following lists our information and criteria on how a public member can serve on the Board of Directors:

The AAAOM values highly the participation of its public members on the Board of Directors. We are particularly interested in persons with a passion for Acupuncture and Oriental medicine who bring skills that will compliment those of the other board members.

Public members are appointed by the board of directors and serve a one-year term, with a maximum of 3 consecutive terms.

A Public Member of the Board of Directors must be:

Public Members with any of the following professional backgrounds are needed:

How To Become a Public Member of the AAAOM Board of Directors

Why Wiki?

By Brian Smither, BSEEE
IT Manager, AAAOM

The AAAOM has had a wiki for several months. The AAAOM’s IT department was asked to develop a way to invite its membership to educate and elucidate on the art and profession of AOM for the general public and for each other. The actual announcement of the wiki’s existence was delayed until some useful policies were developed that described its use and management.

A wiki is a place for collaboration. While the word “wiki” has no relation to the concept (“wiki” was found on a sign at a Hawaiian airport; it means “quick”), a wiki works best when you’re trying to develop a response to a question not easily asked, or where there’s a natural structure that’s not known in advance to what you need to know.

For questions like “Who does what and when?” we design a flowchart. For questions like “What are the task’s relationships to each other?” we use timeline chart. In any type of project, there are going to be questions like “If we agree to do this, where will we need more facts and figures?” A wiki provides the opportunity for someone in the field to add, “This part of the project has unintended consequences.”

People like to talk. It’s easy to talk. Many people also like to write. Did I just hear a loud snicker from the back row? Yes, I understand that even speaking well is not easy. And writing well is exacting and often difficult. It is great to have tools to help you get your thoughts together, to research what you don’t know, and to organize it all. By setting up and inviting all of you to use this wiki, we want to encourage that storytelling urge in all of us.

We want you, who wouldn't normally write, to find that writing can be rewarding, if not fun, even if you are not comfortable expressing your ideas in writing and even if you are not too keen on research. We want you to know that others are “out there” to augment and enhance your initial idea and that if the order of your sub-topics seem to jump all over the place, someone else can take care of that. While not overshadowing anyone’s contribution, creating a wiki can be a truly collaborative effort.

To write an article for The American Acupuncturist, the author must establish the context, say important and accurate things, and say them so that a wide variety of people in the field can understand what is said. This takes more time and effort than most people care to invest. But if, while reading someone else's work, you think, "Yeah, but there's this other point of view," then being able to add a compelling paragraph that says, "Here’s what’s missing" raises everyone’s awareness on the subject. There's a whole lot of this "Let me help” found on a wiki.

Wiki pages are very free-form. Across the whole wiki there is a structure, but on a given page, within the versatility of your command of your natural language, you can say whatever needs to be said. Wikis were created to make it easier for writers, i.e. a structure exists, but it isn't held to a high degree of organization. So generally, the feeling for a reader can often be one of foraging in a wilderness for tidbits of information.

Unless pre-planned in advance through the judicious use of tables of contents and lists of links, everything is often “all over the place” in a wiki. You start by searching with keywords and hope you hit upon an existing article. If an article has not yet been written containing the search words you use, the visitor is offered the opportunity to start a wiki page with the search word as the subject.

Some may find it hard to read wiki pages. As previously discussed, in wiki there's no single editor organizing the material for the reader. All the pages are collaborative. The structure is collaborative. The editing is collaborative. Thus what you get is access to people who had no voice before.

The people to whom we are giving voice, for instance, can contribute to the ongoing efforts to create a basis for nomenclature in the profession of acupuncture and Oriental medicine as well address the need to bring Eastern ideas and ideograms to a Western frame of reference. The AAAOM AcupediaOnline provides for a repository of somewhat dissimilar views of how an ideogram relates to its idea. All of a sudden you're talking to the people who “get it”, not the people who talk about the need for “getting it,” and that's a big distinction. When it comes down to it, a wiki is only effective if you invest the time and effort to make the users understand how to work in a collaborative environment, what that means for us, and for the project.

It seems like people fall into two camps when they visit a wiki for the first time. Either they fall in love with the abundant use of cross-references and topic links or they run away screaming. Truth is, many people have a hard time understanding at first how to find things or how to contribute. But once the first-timers see how easy it is to contribute to wiki pages, they can’t wait to let their opinions be known.

The AcupediaOnline wiki will be used to collaborate on the Nomenclature Project as defined at the AAAOM International Expo and Conference 2007 held in Portland, Oregon. The Nomenclature Debates at the 2006 Conference (Phoenix, Arizona) brought to light the severity and seriousness of the Eastern and Western medical communities language dissociation. A major conclusion to those debates proved that treatments provided by Western practitioners of Eastern medicines contain significant amounts of ambiguity.

Getting AcuPediaOnline up and running was the easy part. (The AAAOM’s IT department likes the easy parts.) The real test of AcuPediaOnline's value will be its continuous utilization. Perhaps what makes a wiki most compelling is both its democratic nature and its ability to capture the knowledge of those that contribute. In AcuPediaOnline you will not be barred from having your say, although through collaboration and instruction from the Nomenclature Debates moderator, you may be edited after the fact in order to enhance and streamline your contributions.

So this is the Why of the wiki, specifically of AAAOM’s AcuPediaOnline, and I’ve briefly mentioned the What of our wiki. Next month, the Qi-Unity Report will publish an article on the Who, When, and Where of AcuPediaOnline. Stay tuned.

Member Feedback

AAAOM member Linda D'Agostino was kind enough to send us her feedback on The Qi- Unity Report. Thanks, Linda!

"Thank you so much for all the effort and professionalism. I strive to keep abreast and renew my knowledge daily. This report makes it easy to keep up. I sometimes feel isolated in central PA and it is also good to see how my new profession is continuing to develop nation-wide. Thank you all for a fine job!"

Links

Recent Articles about Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

Scientist defends acupuncture against those seek to defame it.

“Science is a method for acquiring knowledge that helps us to understand our world and everything in it. That method involves the accumulation of data, followed by statistical and other methods to interpret the data.”
More...

Herbs found effective against menstrual cramps:

“HONG KONG (Reuters) - A study involving nearly 3,500 women in several countries suggests that Chinese herbs might be more effective in relieving menstrual cramps than drugs, acupuncture or heat compression.

Australia-based researchers said herbs not only relieved pain, but reduced the recurrence of the condition over three months, according to the Cochrane Library journal.”
More...

How much should acupuncture cost?

One clinic seeks to make acupuncture affordable to as many as possible.
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Study suggests acupuncture may help against hypertension

“In tests on rats, the researchers found that electroacupuncture treatments provided temporary relief from the conditions that raise blood pressure during hypertensive states. Such treatments, they believe, potentially can become part of a therapeutic regimen for long-term care of hypertension and other cardiovascular ailments in people.”
More...

2008 Thieme Almanac: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine released

“The 500-page almanac boasts 120 additional pages. An abundance of new information has been added while other information has been brought up-to-date. This year’s articles include a lengthy discussion on the concept of ‘shen.’ Other new topics include veterinary medicine, Kampo medicine, herb-drug interactions, acupuncture in the different ways it is practiced around the world, translation issues, schools and educational programs as well as TCM demographics in 18 countries, including an extended section on the United States.”
More...

NIH Study: Acupuncture Effective against Arthritis


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India Promotes Development of Its Herbal Export Potential


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When all else fails, a New York Times writer with Bruxism seeks acupuncture

“ I’d abandoned hope of ending my bruxism until I met a woman recently who stopped 10 years’ grinding after a year of regular acupuncture treatments. I was encouraged enough to try acupuncture myself, and have noticed some improvement after a few months of weekly sessions. Acupuncture has not been clinically proved to cure or calm bruxism, but I’m willing to hang my hopes on anecdotal evidence that suggests it helps.”
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Continuing Education and Events

Acupuncturists Without Borders: Events

Miami AWB Healing Community Trauma Training: How to Do Mobile Group Acupuncture for Disasters and Other Traumatic Situations
January 26 - 27, 2008
Acupuncture and Massage College, Miami Florida

Phoenix AWB Healing Community Trauma Training: How to Do Mobile Group Acupuncture for Disasters and Other Traumatic Situations
April 19-20, 2008
Location details will be posted on our website as soon as they become available.

Healing Community Trauma: How to Do Mobile Group Acupuncture for Disasters and Other Traumatic Situations
Acupuncturists Without Borders is offering a CEU approved comprehensive weekend training January 26-27, 2008, at The Acupuncture and Massage College in Miami, Florida.

Includes:

Participation in an AWB training is not solely for the purpose of becoming an AWB volunteer. We welcome all attendees, whether or not you will become or already are an AWB volunteer.

PDA/CEUs: 15 PDA/CEUs approved by the NCCAOM (including 4 PDA/CEUs that meet the new Ethics and Safety requirements).

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact:
Rebecca Wilkowski

(415) 355-1601 x12

New Classes Teach Public Benefits of Holistic Medicine

A local acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine school, the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACTCM), is now offering classes open to the public on the benefits of holistic medicine.

“There is a growing demand for access to, and information on, holistic medicine by consumers. In response to that need, ACTCM created an Intro Class series specially designed for the public. We’ve gotten a tremendous response in just the past 6 months. So much so, in fact, that we’ve expanded our course offerings, as well as added two additional satellite locations to hold the courses,” said ACTCM President Lixin Huang. “We hope to enrich the public’s understanding of traditional Chinese medicine, and inspire a love for the medicine that will benefit people’s physical, emotional and spiritual self.”

The 6- and 8-week courses are offered four times per year, and cover a variety of topics, from Tai Chi, Chinese herbal medicine, Daoist nutrition, and the popular “Demystifying Chinese Medicine”. Each class meets once a week for two hours in the evening. Instructors are engaging and experienced licensed acupuncturists local to each area, and bring a wealth of real-life and clinical specialties to the courses. The classes are a mixture of lecture, discussion, and experiential elements; with several courses including non-traditional elements such as a medicinal potluck or trip to Chinatown.

“The amount of information I learned in just 8 weeks was pretty impressive: Qi, herbs, Yin and Yang, 5 Element theory, acupuncture, tongue and pulse diagnosis. Our instructor was really wonderful, and made what was once a bit of a complex topic, really easy and fun to understand. I was so inspired by the experience, I’ve signed up for another class, and am now being seen in the college’s Community Clinic,” reported one student.

ACTCM’s introductory courses are offered in three locations: at its main campus in San Francisco at 455 Arkansas Street, at the Steele Lane Community Center in Santa Rosa, and at Samuel Merritt College in Sacramento.

American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a non-profit institution, has provided affordable, quality health care to the public and trained professionals in acupuncture and Chinese medicine since 1980. ACTCM has been the recipient of many awards for its curriculum, faculty and clinic, and has been voted “Best of the Bay” by both the San Francisco Weekly and the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

For more information on ACTCM’s introductory courses for the public, please call (415) 282-7600 x14 or visit the college’s website at www.actcm.edu/html/IntroductoryClass.html.

AOMA Announcements

Become a Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist
Open House at AOMA (Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin)
Sunday January 27th 2-5pm
admissions@aoma.edu or for more information

Southwest Symposium 2008: Bringing Balance Back to Health
Acupuncture Continuing Education
Event date: March 28, 2008 - March 30, 2008
Hyatt Regency, Austin, Texas
www.aoma.edu/cae.html for details and registration information.

Speakers:
Miki Shima – Treatment of Allergies with Chinese Medicine
Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods, Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition
Matt Callison – Sports Acupuncture & Pain Management
Mikio Sankey – Esoteric Acupuncture
Sharon Weizenbaum – Women’s Health, Herbs, & TCM
Honora Wolfe – Making The Most of Your Herbal Dispensary, and Moxibustion for Pain Management
Sadhna Singh – Obstetrics, Gynecology and TCM
Master Li Jun Feng – Healing Qigong

Exhibitors: Spaces are filling up. Please email jbien@aoma.edu for details.

HealthyChild.com

Holistic Pediatric Seminars in SF Bay Area

Winter/Spring 2008

Visit www.healthychild.com or call 707-570-0408 for registration and more information.

Holistic Pediatrics Module

Physical Exams, Diagnosis, and Red Flags - 14 hrs February 9-10, 2008 Elisa Song MD, Randall Neustaedter OMD

Holistic Pediatric Practice - 14 hours January 26-27, 2008 Randall Neustaedter OMD

Acute Illness and Alternatives to Antibiotics - 7 hours April 5, 2008 Randall Neustaedter OMD

Management of Pediatric Asthma - 7 hours April 6, 2008 Randall Neustaedter OMD

Pediatric Functional Medicine - 14 hours April 26-27, 2008 Elisa Song, MD

Chinese Medicine Module

Fundamentals of Five Phase Constitutional Medicine and Pediatrics - 14 hours March 8-9, 2008 Efrem Korngold, OMD

Advanced Perspectives in Five Phase Constitutional Pediatrics - 14 hours May 3-4, 2008 Efrem Korngold, OMD

Trudy McAlister Scholarship Fund Awards Two Scholarships

Recipients awarded at the AAAOM’s 2007 Conference and Exhibition in Portland, Oregon

In October of 2005, Trudy McAlister received the Patient of the Year Award from the AAOM for her philanthropic work that led to the establishment of the first national scholarship fund for students of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM). In May of 2007, the McAlister Fund completed the legal and procedural processes that enabled it to be part of a charitable, not for profit entity (Triskeles Foundation), that now enable donors to make tax deductible gifts to the McAlister Fund.

At the AAAOM Conference in October of 2007 in Portland, the McAlister Fund awarded its first two scholarships to students of AOM. The announcement was first made at the AAAOM Student Organization caucus. It seemed appropriate that the AAAOM would be celebrating its 25th anniversary and at the same time the first national scholarship fund could begin its inaugural event.

The recipients were Jason Moskovitz from Yo San University in Los Angeles, and Andrew Fritsch from the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Minneapolis. Each received a $1000 scholarship from the McAlister Fund. Originally, only one scholarship was planned, but an exception was granted by the Foundation this year and two scholarships were issued. Going forward, funds may allow only one scholarship next year.

When Jason Moskovitz was asked what he thought about the scholarship process, he responded by saying, “Not only was receiving this scholarship an honor, but to be involved in its inaugural year is something extra special. I can also say the application process was an equally rewarding experience, having never applied for a scholarship before. I enjoyed responding to the essay question regarding AOM's contributions to our nation's public health because it asked the very question I'd been throwing around in my head ever since I found this medicine. Of course, the challenge was fitting such a large subject into 250 words. And the phone interview added a personal touch that I wasn't expecting. Processes like these, when I'm still in school, make it ever apparent of the supportive and exciting national community of which I am already a part.”

Andrew Fritsch, in a letter of thanks for the scholarship, expressed his gratitude of the financial support the scholarship offered him. He also said that, "The application for the Trudy McAlister Fund scholarship challenged me to consider my role in the future of our profession in Chinese Medicine. Receiving the scholarship has filled me with gratitude and drive to take our profession to a higher level and to eventually make Chinese Medicine available to every American."

The McAlister Fund’s Advisory Committee includes Gene Bruno, William Prensky, Doreen Chen, Martin Herbkersman, and Pamela Lee. These advisors make the recommendations to the Triskeles Foundation for final approval of scholarships. The Triskeles Foundation manages and oversees the funds assets and the scholarship process.

The Advisors encourage colleges, individuals and organizations to make donations to the Fund. The number and amounts of the scholarships will increase as the fund grows.

Donations can now be made at the TM Fund website or donations can be sent to:

The Triskeles Foundation - Trudy McAlister Fund
c/o The Triskeles Foundation
707 Eagleview Blvd. Suite 105
Exton, PA 19341
610-321-9876

For more information about the Trudy McAlister Fund go to www.triskeles.org or contact Gene Bruno at acudoc27@aol.com.

AAAOM Student Organization

Foundation For Your Future: Forming an AAAOM-SO College Chapter

By Jolene Habeck, AAAOM-SO President-Elect

The AAAOM-SO had a very successful organizational year and is looking forward to the upcoming year. In 2006-2007, the SO formed 8 AAAOM-SO college chapters (AAAOM-SOCC) and increased membership from 500 members to 803.

The College Chapter
The college chapter is the foundational key to the AAAOM-SO. By forming a chapter, students and their schools will become part of a national network of students and professionals who are at the forefront of moving AOM into the mainstream.

The Regional Director
The AAAOM-SO regional directors are officers of the Student Organization Council (SOC), who are dedicated to forming college chapters and reaching out nationally to all students. There are 6 regional directors, representing 6 regions of the country: Northwest Pacific, Southwest Pacific, Mountain, Central, Northeast Atlantic, and Southeast Atlantic.

Formation of a Chapter
The formation of a college chapter is adaptable to any size or type of AOM school. To start, each institution needs a student representative. This representative can be any student interested in being the contact person at this school. A student interested in this position simply needs to contact the appropriate regional director to be established as the student representative for their school. This student would correspond directly with the regional director on how to start a chapter, as well as dealing with information on national events and opportunities. To officially initiate a chapter, only two student members are needed. These interested students would sign the AAAOM-SO College Chapter Charter, a document which signifies the formation of the chapter, as well as establishing adherence to the national bylaws of the organization. Once the chapter is created through this process, it’s time to recruit local members, elect local officers, and begin local projects. It is also recommended that each chapter include a faculty or administrative advisor from their school. This helps to ensure the longevity of the chapter, since students spend a relatively short time in school. That school’s designated regional director supervises this entire process in case the students have questions or need additional assistance.

Chapters in Action
So you may be thinking, “Once the chapter is formed, what would we do?” Each local chapter with 5 members or more, according to the bylaws, is encouraged to participate in the following activities a minimum of once per school year: 1. Fundraising- to help offset costs for students attending the national conference and local chapter events. 2. Public Relations Events/Activities- promoting AOM through educating the public and building practice management skills. 3. Community Service Events- to be held together with public relations events that promote AOM.

One example of the above is the chapter of the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, MCAOM, in Bloomington, MN. This college chapter was one of the first official chapters formed in the AAAOM-SO and started its activities with small events such as bake sales. In September, the chapter held its first large fundraising event holding a concert on campus, inviting all students and the community. This chapter is now currently working with the state AOM association in legislative efforts by helping to promote its letter writing campaign in support the HR 1479 bill (PDF).

A second example comes from Emperor’s College in Southern California. Local chapter President Steve Stone caught wind of a Universal Health Care Plan being drafted by a Southern California State Senator that, if passed, would revoke the primary care provider status California licensed acupuncturists now enjoy, requiring them to practice only under supervision of an MD. The Emperor’s College Chapter, together with their student council and members of the faculty, hosted the Senator’s field deputy, Emily Gold, and members of the Southern California acupuncture community for an extended Q&A session regarding the bill. The event was such a success that they are planning another event of this nature in January.

Contact Information
Listed below are the 6 regional directors and their contact information. Please feel free to contact them with your interest in starting an AAAOM-SO college chapter where you study. Join the AAAOM-SO fast track to success by forming a chapter today!

Regional Director Coordinator
Margo Schaefer
mzmargo@yahoo.com
262-893-6819

NE Atlantic Regional Director
Jim Pastore
pastore@ix.netcom.com
303-955-4137

SE Atlantic Regional Director
Jackie O'Meara
jomeara1@comcast.net
914-316-9407

Central Regional Director
Hilary Patzer
hpatzer@nwhealth.edu
208-720-2570

Mountain Regional Directory
Nancy Robertson
NANCE_2017@yahoo.com
303-955-4137

NW Pacific Regional Director
Kimberley Benjamin
soundacupuncture@gmail.com
530-545-9546

SW Pacific Regional Director
Melissa Monroe
mmmonroe2000@yahoo.com

THE AAAOM & AAAOM-SO CONGRATULATE LOCAL CHAPTERS FORMED IN 2006-2007!

Samra University of Oriental Medicine
President: Michelle Cummins
Faculty Advisor: Terry Powers, DAOM, L.Ac.

Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine
President: Steve Stone
Faculty Advisor: Christine Chang, MTOM, L.Ac.

Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
President: Hilary Patzer
Faculty Advisor: John Pirog, MSOM, L.Ac.

Midwest College of Oriental Medicine-Racine Campus
President: Margo Schaefer
Faculty Advisor: Kris LePoint

Midwest College of Oriental Medicine-Chicago Campus
President: Marlene Baczek and Michelle Goebel-Angel ( Co-President)
Faculty Advisor: Kris LePoint

Tai Sophia Institute
President: Niall Sheehan
Faculty Advisor: David Paton

Oregon College of Oriental Medicine
President: Christen Hansen
Faculty Advisor: Carol Taub

National College of Natural Medicine
President: Eric Grey
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Laurie Regan

SO Portland Post Conference Communications

Hello fellow AAAOM Student Members!

The 2007 AAAOM meeting in Portland, Oregon, October 18-22, was a great success! Not only did we celebrate the 25th anniversary of this esteemed organization, we also celebrated the recent reunification of the AOM Alliance and the AAOM. One hundred thirty-eight students attended the conference --a record number that included the ten founding members of the AAAOM Student Organization Council (SOC) The first-ever student board was elected at the 2006 Phoenix meeting and worked with great dedication to create a structure for the continuation of the first ever National Student Board for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

The AAAOM-SOC had many accomplishments throughout the 2006-07 year:

After the 2006 AAAOM-SOC gave their annual reports at Saturday’s student caucus, Gene Bruno, OMD, presented the first- ever Trudy McAlister Scholarships. Andrew Fritsch of Northwestern Health Sciences University and Jason Moskovitz of Yo San University were each awarded a $1000 scholarship. Additionally, Neil Gumenick raffled two books from the Worsley Institute and David J. Kuoch gave away seven of his brand new Acupuncture Desk References. Also raffled off were six $250 scholarships donated by the AAAOM-SOC, one for each AAAOM-SO region. Annette Sacksteder (Pacific NW Region), Pamela Garcia (Pacific SW Region), Tina Perry (Midwest Region), Lisa Kitteson (Atlantic SW Region), Tammy Nelson (Atlantic NW Region) and Nancy Roberson (Mountain Region) were the six lucky winners.

Between the raffles, several leaders in our field gave motivational and educational talks; among them were John Pirog from the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, David Payton of FAOMRA, and Marilyn Allen of the AAC (who also generously bought the students a delicious lunch). During lunch there was terrific student discussions focusing on integrative medicine, AOM legislation, and the nomenclature debates.

Following these discussions AAAOM-SOC elections were held. Most of the 2006-07 officers were re-elected, and a handful of new student members were elected to the SOC. The 2007-08 AAAOM-Student Organization Council members are: Co-President Amanda Troelsen, Co-President Patty Fullin, Co-President Emeritus Rhonda Wilbur, Co-President Emeritus Koala Moore, President -Elect Jolene Habeck, Vice President Niall Sheehan, Treasurer Maureen Woyci, Treasurer Daljit Sachdev, Regional Director Coordinator Margo Schaefer, NW Pacific Regional Director Kimberely Benjamin, SW Pacific Regional Director Melissa Monroe, Mountain Regional Director Nancy Robertson, NE Atlantic Regional Director Jim Pastore, and SE Regional Director Jackie O’Meara. The newly elected SOC had their first meeting Saturday evening, after which some members attended the AAAOM annual gala dinner. The rest of the SOC joined the Oregon students at the Tugboat, a local microbrewery for more discussion and libations. All had a great time!

We thank you all for your continued support, and a special to thanks to all of you who attended the conference and provided your much-appreciated input. We look forward to serving you in the coming year and wish you all every success.

With Gratitude,

The AAAOM-Student Organization Council

Products, Services, and Member Savings

Medfinds.com

SEATTLE, WA – Medfinds.com, the online network of alternative health care providers, has announced that its medical practice-promoting services are now entirely free.

"It was very important to us that Medfinds be more than just a directory, but a place where you can learn something about a healer before you visit them," says Adam Claessens, a founder of the health website. "Our move towards a totally free service will help even more providers grow their practice and reach local patients."

Not only does Medfinds,com list alternative health care providers – over 4,000 in North America alone – it also has a growing database of schools in which alternative medicine can be studied, as well as an encyclopedia of natural medicine references. A student or patient can learn more about an herbal remedy they are studying, with pictures and information on safety and dosage.

Medfinds.com was co-founded by Andrew Brandeis and Adam Claessens, who met while studying naturopathic medicine at Bastyr University. They realized that many people had never visited an alternative health care provider because they didn't know where to find one.

"I'd receive emails or calls from friends and family members, asking if I knew a good acupuncturist in New Jersey. I wanted to help, but I honestly didn't know where to point them," says co-founder Andrew Brandeis.

Medfinds.com allows alternative health care providers, such as massage therapists or homeopaths, to create online profiles similar to many social networking sites. They can upload pictures and brochures, post local events, write a health blog, and even allow patients to request appointments via their profile.

For press inquiries contact us at – press@medfinds.com

For general information, please contact– adam@medfinds.com

In closing, we continue to seek to improve and expand the quality of the Qi-Unity Report for our members. Every time you receive this report, we expect you to see evidence of our collective strength and ongoing growth as a field. Perhaps you have an idea for an article or would like to write something to share your perspective on an AOM issue? Please do keep in touch: dnewton@aaaomonline.org

As always, we welcome your feedback to improve and enhance this publication and its benefits to you as we continue to galvanize our common interest to rise and meet the marriage of challenges and opportunities that lie ahead!

The AAAOM is interested in your feedback. We invite you to use our General Feedback page to let us know your opinions and insights.

Best Wishes,


Rebekah Christensen,
Executive Director
Douglas Newton,
Managing Editor