Acupuncturist

POSITION: Acupuncturist

REPORTS TO: Chief Medical Officer (CMO)

STATUS: Part or Full time, exempt

POSITION SUMMARY: Diagnose, treat, and prevent disorders by stimulating specific acupuncture points within the body using acupuncture needles. May also use cups, nutritional supplements, therapeutic massage, acupressure, and other alternative health therapies.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides culturally competent Acupuncturist care in a community health clinic serving American Indian/Alaska Native and other low-income populations.
• Follows standard quality, safety, environmental and infection control policies, and procedures and adheres to local, state and federal laws, regulations and statutes.
• Identifies the correct anatomical and proportional point locations based on patients’ anatomy.
• Treats patients using tools such as needles, cups, ear balls, seeds, pellets, and nutritional supplements.
• Takes precautions related to treatments such as intradermal needles, moxibustion, electricity, and bleeding.
• Analyzes physical findings and medical histories to make diagnoses according to Asian medicine traditions.
• Maintains detailed and complete records of healthcare plans and prognoses.
• Formulates herbal preparations based on their herbal properties to treat conditions.
• Evaluates treatment outcomes and recommends new or altered treatments to promote, restore, or maintain health.
• Educates patients on topics such as meditation, ergonomics, stretching, exercise, nutrition, the healing process, breathing, and relaxation techniques.
• Documents according to the guidelines as explained below.
• Perform only medically necessary acupuncture.

DOCUMENTATION GUIDELINES

Evaluation: An initial evaluation service is essential to determine whether any acupuncture services are medically necessary, to gather baseline data, establish a treatment plan, and develop goals based on the data. The initial evaluation service must include: An appropriate level of clinical history, examination, and medical decision-making relevant and appropriate to the individual’s complaint(s) and presentation;

• Subjective historical evaluation based on standardize method such as the traditional 10 question method;
• Specific standardized and non-standardized tests, assessments, and tools;
• Interpretation and synthesis of all relevant clinical findings derived from history and physical examination for the purpose of clinical decision-making;
• Subjective and objective measurable, description of functional status using comparable and consistent methods;
• Summary of clinical reasoning and consideration of contextual factors with recommendations;
• The establishment of a working diagnosis;
• Plan of care with specific treatment techniques or activities to be used in treatment sessions that should be updated as the individual's condition changes;
• Frequency and duration of treatment (treatment dose);
• Functional, measurable, and time-framed long-term and short-term goals based on appropriate and relevant evaluation data; and
• Prognosis and discharge plan.

MEDICALLY NECESSARY ACUPUNCTURE
Medically necessary acupuncture includes:

• Tension-type Headache; Migraine Headache with or without Aura
• Musculoskeletal joint and soft tissue pain (e.g., hip, knee, spine) resulting in a functional deficit (e.g., inability to perform household chores, interference with job functions, loss of range of motion)
• Nausea Associated with Pregnancy (only when co-managed)
• Post-Surgical Nausea (only when co-managed)
• Nausea Associated with Chemotherapy; (only when co-managed)

Other Factors

• Medically necessary services must be delivered toward defined reasonable and evidence-based goals;
• Medical necessity decisions must be based on patient presentation including diagnosis, severity, and documented clinical findings;
• Continuation of treatment is contingent upon progression towards defined treatment goals and evidenced by specific significant objective functional improvements (e.g., outcome assessment scales, range of motion)
• Certain conditions require that the patient is being co-managed by a medical physician in order to be considered medically necessary;
• Medically necessary services including monitoring of outcomes and progress with a change in treatment or withdrawal of treatment if the patient is not improving or is regressing.

Not Medically Necessary Treatment includes:

• Treatment intended to improve or maintain general physical condition
• Maintenance acupuncture services, when significant therapeutic improvement is not expected
• Services that do not require the skills of a qualified provider of acupuncture including but not limited to:
  1. Activities and services that can be practiced independently and can be self-administered safely and effectively.
  2. Home exercise programs that can be performed safely and independently to continue therapy without skilled supervision.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Completion of an accredited acupuncture program and licensure or certification as an Acupuncturist.
• Experience in a clinical setting, preferably under the supervision of an experienced Acupuncturist.
• Knowledge of medical ethics and legal requirements related to acupuncture practice.
• Continuing education and professional development to stay updated on industry advancements and regulation.