I helped set up three successful acupuncture clinics at Andrews AFB, the Pentagon, and the White House, while on Active Duty status in the United States Air Force. Setting up a private practice is somewhat difficult for many acupuncturist due to a lack of fundamental business knowledge. As a profession we not prepared to understand insurance, billing practices, lease negotiation, taxes, or incorporation strategies. There are many business resources for other professions but none that are easy to find specifically targeted to acupuncture. This is a huge hurdle because it means every acupuncturist is recreating the wheel when opening and managing their own practice.
We need to change this trend. Acupuncture has its place in the health care community. However, we are not unified nor are we speaking to the insurance companies and the western medical community with clean and clear intention.
The intention of this blog is to start facilitating conversations on the following subjects:
1) Insurance billing - What companies cover acupuncture services, what is allowable, how many units can be billed per session, what qualifies as a treatment, what do the insurance companies want to see on an audit.
2) Practice building- Benefits of a cash practice vs an insurance practice.
3) Community acupuncture vs Private Practice - what are the pro's and con's
4) Electrical Acupuncture- What role does it play? How do you get paid from insurance?
5) Herbs- When to prescribe and how to get patient compliance? Will insurance pay?
6) Role of the acupuncturist in the health care community- where do we fit? How to speak to western medical physicians and make sense. How to get referrals from physicians.
7) Resource links - legal issues, treatment strategies
8) Best of Breed- Show case practitioners from around the country to let the world know what they are doing well.
9) Worst of Breed- Tips from practitioners who have tried ideas that do not work.
10) Blog/Chat/Forum - What do we need as a profession?
11) Practice management- Everything from the various ways to schedule patients, getting supplies, equipment, hiring staff, and doing taxes.
12) Equipment review- rating/reviewing equipment on the market.
13) Gold Standard Treatments- What are the "bread & butter" treatments that are making clinics successful.
While this is not an exhaustive list of services and information Acupuncture Economics will provide it is a representation of the direction I see for serving my profession.
1 comment:
So I would really like to hear more about your experience setting up acupuncture clinics while in the USAF. Were they funded by the AF? Were they private? Were they staffed by acupuncturists or other medical professionals?
I am in acupuncturist in the San Antonio area. My husband is a reservist in the US army. Ft Sam Houston is a huge medical training facility (about to get bigger) and I have never heard of acupuncture being available there in any capacity. Obviously, it would be great if it was offered there
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