Resources for Practitioners
For PractitionersResources for Practitioners
New Practitioners
Welcome to a growing profession. The following resources are not exclusive or comprehensive and are provided as general guidance.
Professional Liability Insurance
Even before you get licensed, you can get postgraduate/pre-license liability insurance that covers you when you are assisting or volunteering. The ASA has partnered with CM&F. They offer a combined policy that covers you and your location.
Location Liability Insurance
If your professional liability does not cover your locations.
Open a business bank account
This will be required for many insurance programs, contracting jobs, or employment. Use it to pay for business expenses.
US & FL General Practice and Scope
Read more here about the US & FL General Practice and Scope
Medicare & Legislation Updates
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2025 Acupuncture Education Day – Tallahassee Florida
YourFSOMA visited legislators and gave treatments to visitors, staff and legislators on Tuesday M...
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Political Activism and Civic Involvement: Legislative Breakfast in Clearwater, FL
Political Activism and Civic involvement has been a part of my Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine ...
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Cost of Putting Forth Legislation
FSOMA is in our second year of attempting to get the update to Chapter 457 (the statute governing...
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UHC’s new GA modifier requirement: what you need to know
UHC’s new GA modifier requirement: what you need to know Effective Feb. 1, UnitedHealthcare (UHC)...
Setting Up a Business
Select a Business Type
Sole proprietorship doing business as (DBA) your business name, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation.
Apply for state, city, and or county business permits
It is often required to post these in a public area of the clinic.
Apply for a free EIN (tax ID number)
This must be done before registering your business for taxes or completing a W2 or W9 for contracting work.
Register your business for taxes
This includes state, city, and county. This can be done in conjunction with applying for permits and tax exemption if you are going to resell items.
Register with CAQH
or other third-party verifier of licensure and insurance coverage.
Consider accounting software
such as QuickBooks, which can pull data directly from bank account and credit cards.
Consider management software
such as Jane or Unified Practice, which can house all patient data and medical encounters on a secure cloud. Many packages offer scheduling, billing, and forms.
Business Forms
while many management software packages, form are standard, such as informed consent, practice policies, Agreement, and signature on file for filing insurance claims on behalf of patient.
Education Resources for Practioners
Acupuncture Doctoral Programs
Ready for the next step in your career and want to search various programs by state, language, and focus? Visit here for more information.
Education Events
Visit the education opportunities section for the latest advertised local and national PDA or CEU events.
Floridas Schools of Oreitenal Medicine
- Ft. Lauderdale—Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine www.atom.edu
- Gainesville—Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine www.dragonrises.edu
- Gainesville—Academy of Five Element Acupuncture www.acupuncturist.edu
- Miami—Acupuncture Massage College www.amcollege.edu
- Orlando—Florida College of Integrative Medicine www.fcim.edu
- Sarasota—East West College of Natural Medicine http://www.ewcollege.edu
Teaching Resources for Practitioners
Become a National Provider
Want to teach? Consider becoming a Professional Development Activity (PDA) provider for NCCAOM. Visit here for more information.
Some PDA Provider Benefits
Represent the profession, use the NCCAOM PDA Provider Digital Badge, enjoy approved course advertising opportunities, and more! Visit here for more information.
Herbal Medicine for Practitioners
Introduction to Chinese Herbs
Visit this page to learn about Chinese herb history, herbal pharmacology, single herbs, and formulas.
Herbal Medicine Resources
Visit this area for more information on Herbal medicine regulation and resources.
Organizations & Agencies
State & National
- http://floridasacupuncture.gov – Florida State Board of Acupuncture –(B of A) –Regulatory
- www.nccaom.org – National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) –National Board Certifying Body for Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, and Asian Bodywork Therapies
- www.ccaom.org – Council of Colleges of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (CCAOM) –Professional Organizations of Schools of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
- www.nccam.nih.gov – The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (part of National Inst. Of Health)
- www.nationalacupuncturefoundation.org – National Acupuncture Foundation. A not for profit organization for promotion acupuncture and oriental medicine
- www.acaom.org – Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) National Accrediting agency for Schools
Specialized Professional Organizations
- www.acuwithoutborders.org – Acupuncturists Without Borders, providing community-based acupuncture services which interrupt the cycles of unresolved trauma due to natural disasters and war.
- www.acupunctureresearch.org – Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR)
- www.ahpa.org – American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) The national trade association for herbal products industry
- www.americanherbalistsguild.com – American Herbalist Guild (AHG) An association of herbal practitioners
- www.herbsociety.org – Herbal Society of America
- www.aobta.org – American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA)
- www.acudetox.com – National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA)
- www.nqa.org – National QiGong Association
- www.qi.org – Qigong Association of America
- www.medicalacupuncture.org – American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. An MD/DO only acupuncture organization
- www.aava.org – American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture. A DVM only acupuncture organization
- www.ivas.org – International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS)
Additional Resources
Online Journals
Acupuncture Today – Online and paper monthly with extensive resources.
Journal of Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine Online
Journal of Acupuncture & Medicine Studies
Journal of Acupuncture Research
Sage Journals – Acupuncture in Medicine
AAMA Journal – The official journal of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture.
The Pulse of Oriental Medicine – Pulse is resource of basic TCM information.
World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion –An online journal concerning acupuncture and oriental medicine.
Publications
Nierhaus T, Chang Y, Liu B, Shi X, Yi M, Witt CM, Pach D. Somatosensory Stimulation With XNKQ Acupuncture Modulates Functional Connectivity of Motor Areas. Front Neurosci. 2019 Mar 11;13:147. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00147. PMID: 30914909; PMCID: PMC6421982.
Read Full Article
Khan MNA, Ghafoor U, Yoo HR, Hong KS. Acupuncture enhances brain function in patients with mild cognitive impairment: evidence from a functional-near infrared spectroscopy study. Neural Regen Res. 2022 Aug;17(8):1850-1856. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.332150. PMID: 35017448; PMCID: PMC8820726.
Read Full Article
Matos LC, Machado JP, Monteiro FJ, Greten HJ. Understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapeutics: An Overview of the Basics and Clinical Applications. Healthcare (Basel). 2021 Mar 1;9(3):257. doi: 10.3390/healthcare9030257. PMID: 33804485; PMCID: PMC8000828.
Read Full Article
Acupuncture Practice in Military Medical Treatment Facilities
Establishes procedures to expand the availability and utilization of acupuncture as a non-pharmacologic therapy for acute and chronic pain as an essential element of the Military Health Service Pain Management Campaign, and guidance for implementing tiered acupuncture training, privileging, and documentation and to support the clinical practice of acupuncture by designated clinical staff throughout the Department of Defense, as a complement to existing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies. This guidance applies to all military medical treatment facilities and staff supporting the delivery of healthcare to beneficiaries. See Defense Health Agency Procedural Instruction. Acupuncture Practice in Military Medical Treatment Facilities. Found at https://www.health.mil/Reference-Center/DHA-Publications/2020/02/20/DHA-PI-6025-33
A Protocol of a Guideline to Establish the Evidence Ecosystem of Acupuncture
“Acupuncture clinical practice should be based on high-quality evidence, which could help in decision-making. Thus, acupuncture research should provide sufficient data to enable funders, reviewers, and steering committees to appraise the scientific and methodological rigor of the studies, and for the researchers to replicate and implement these studies.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization placed acupuncture on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and this therapy had been deemed safe and effective. Acupuncture is an important Chinese medicine treatment method suitable for a wide spectrum of diseases. More than 60,000 randomized controlled trials 6,000 systematic reviews, and 1,000 recommendations had been published, while some studies were published in top journals which promoted the use of acupuncture worldwide.”
See Wang Q, Li N, Li J, He Y, Li Y, Zhong D, Liu X, Fan J, Jin R, Kang D, Zhang Y. A Protocol of a Guideline to Establish the Evidence Ecosystem of Acupuncture. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Feb 15;8:711197. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.711197. PMID: 35252220; PMCID: PMC8896352.
Found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8896352/
Misc Resources
GanCao – A resource website that has forums, a practitioner database, and the web links.
Phil Rogers’ Online Links – A detailed webpage with acupuncture and oriental medicine links
www.acufinder.com – Directory of acupuncturists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who runs FSOMA?
Acupuncturists run FSOMA.
FSOMA is governed by its voting membership who elects 10-15 volunteers to serve as directors. FSOMA currently has 2 paid part-time staffers, i.e., Ellen Teeter, AP, Executive Director, and Natalia Morrison, AP, Communication Director. Every professional member is welcome to volunteer and help with committee planning and to provide recommendations. We are all acupuncturists who care deeply for this profession; and together, the group works to expand opportunities for present and future practitioners.
What are the current rules about COVID and masks?
Answer: FSOMA’s “policy” is to advice members to follow the law. If you need legal advice, contact an attorney to develop an office policy based on your specific circumstance and needs. COVID mandates can be found mostly in rules and government orders.
Click Here for the Florida DOH 04/29/2021 Emergency Order to rescind prior emergency policies. The DOH mask policy has not been updated since June 2020.
Can I make quarterly payments?
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How do I become more involved in the association?
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What are the benefits of being a board member?
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How do I join the American Society of Acupuncture (ASA)?
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What is approved for injection in Acupuncture Injection Therapy? OR Can I inject <Substance name>?
Answer: The Florida Board of Acupuncture has not published an Approved or Exclusionary Formulary for Acupoint Injection Therapy that identifies permitted/excluded injectable drug products prescribed and administered under 64B1-4.012. Permissions described in the Rule identify, injection of herbs, homeopathics, and other nutritional supplements in the form of sterile substances, as permitted.
Only the Board of Acupuncture can provide clarification of the Acupoint Injection Therapy rule and make other determinations about prescribing and administering qualified injectable products in the practice of Acupuncture. Should a licensee need the Rule clarified, consider seeking legal advice and/or submitting a Request for Declaratory Statement to the Board of Acupuncture pursuant to Rule 28-105.002, Florida Administrative Code.
What are the current rules about COVID and masks?
Answer: FSOMA’s “policy” is to advice members to follow the law. If you need legal advice, contact an attorney to develop an office policy based on your specific circumstance and needs. COVID mandates can be found mostly in rules and government orders.
Click Here for the Florida DOH 04/29/2021 Emergency Order to rescind prior emergency policies. The DOH mask policy has not been updated since June 2020.
Can I make quarterly payments?
Pellentesque in ipsum id orci porta dapibus. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Vivamus suscipit tortor eget felis porttitor volutpat. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Cras ultricies ligula sed magna dictum porta. Nulla porttitor accumsan tincidunt. Sed porttitor lectus nibh. Cras ultricies ligula sed magna dictum porta. Praesent sapien massa, convallis a pellentesque nec, egestas non nisi.
How do I become more involved in the association?
Pellentesque in ipsum id orci porta dapibus. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Vivamus suscipit tortor eget felis porttitor volutpat. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Cras ultricies ligula sed magna dictum porta. Nulla porttitor accumsan tincidunt. Sed porttitor lectus nibh. Cras ultricies ligula sed magna dictum porta. Praesent sapien massa, convallis a pellentesque nec, egestas non nisi.
What are the benefits of being a board member?
Pellentesque in ipsum id orci porta dapibus. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Vivamus suscipit tortor eget felis porttitor volutpat. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Cras ultricies ligula sed magna dictum porta. Nulla porttitor accumsan tincidunt. Sed porttitor lectus nibh. Cras ultricies ligula sed magna dictum porta. Praesent sapien massa, convallis a pellentesque nec, egestas non nisi.
How do I join the American Society of Acupuncture (ASA)?
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Whate are the different optoins for Sponsorship?
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What are the options for Classified Ads and Marketing?
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How can I get help with Classified Ads and Marketing?
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What are the options for being a vendor at an association event?
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Do members get discounts for classified ads, event vendor tables, or marketing?
Pellentesque in ipsum id orci porta dapibus. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Vivamus suscipit tortor eget felis porttitor volutpat. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Cras ultricies ligula sed magna dictum porta. Nulla porttitor accumsan tincidunt. Sed porttitor lectus nibh. Cras ultricies ligula sed magna dictum porta. Praesent sapien massa, convallis a pellentesque nec, egestas non nisi.