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Clinical anatomy, kinesiology, and the jing-jin ("sinew meridians" or myofascial tracts)

• Bones, muscles, discs and facet joints, and neurology
• Posture and motion dysfunctions
• The arthritic progression: strain/sprain, derangement, degeneration

History-taking for head, neck, thorax: key diagnostic questions

• "Red flag" symptoms of urgent/serious medical conditions warranting referral to physician care
• Differentiating symptoms of muscles, joint, disc, and spinal cord, plexus and nerve root injuries
• Neural hypersensitization and psycho-social factors
• Functional capacity questionnaires for reporting to managed care insurance

Physical exam of the head, neck, thorax: key procedures

• Observation, inspection and palpation
• Joint exam: active range-of-motion, stability, and tracking assessment of the cervical and thoracic spine and TM joint
• Neurologic exam: upper motor neuron; arm reflex, sensory, and motor function; and brachial plexopathies
• Special orthopedic tests for the spine and ribcage
• Documentation of physical exam findings
• Measuring and reporting functional capacity baselines and treatment outcomes

Diagnosis and pattern identification

• Cervicogenic and tension-type headaches
• Temperomandibular joint pain and dysfunction
• Cervical and thoracic sprains/strains and chronic myofascial pain
• Cervical and thoracic disc and facet joint injuries: dysfunction, derangement, degeneration
• Nerve root and spinal cord injuries
• Intercostal sprains/strains
• Brachial plexopathies and thoracic outlet syndrome
• Myofascial trigger points and referred pain patterns for over 17 muscles of the head, face, neck and thorax

Treatment of head, neck, and thorax pain and injuries

• When and how to use distant and local needling for rapid and lasting pain relief
• Electroacupuncture for neural blockade and rehabilitation
• Releasing muscle tension through myofascial trigger point needling
• Prolo-acupuncture for spinal and TM joint stabilization and mobilization
• Using 7-star, 3-edged and lancet needles to reduce inflammation and ischemic pain
• Manual therapy: gua sha, tui na, and muscle energy techniques to reduce trigger points and restore muscle flexibility and joint range of motion
• Active suction cupping: combining cups with passive and active movement for rapid and lasting results
• Postural and ergonomic correction and exercise therapies

Get the most out of your learning experience!

• Prepare for the class with the Anatomy for Acupuncturists Lab
• Then build on and consolidate your skills with the Review/Practicum Lab

Student Ratings and Comments

from evaluations as required by California Acupuncture Board, prior live class offerings in 2017.

Respondents: 20 of 20 enrolled

Average rating: 98/100

Is your practice safe?

• Is your documentation adequate for defense in litigation or complaints to regulatory boards? Does it include needle angle at high-risk locations?
• Do you know what standards the CNT manual (7th ed.) sets for minimizing pneumothorax risks? Sterilizing cups, gua sha tools? Preventing and managing heat lamp and moxa burns? Medical record-keeping?
• Do you routinely provide and effectively document a verbal, face-to-face informed consent regarding risks, prior to treatment?
• Do you know what social media marketing techniques are legal vs. illegal, as well as what terms to avoid using on your website?
• Do you know how to avoid triggering insurance audits for suspected over-billing?
• Can you recognize when you're in a "high-risk" relationship with a patient, and manage the situation without charges of discrimination in health care or "patient abandonment" that risk license suspension?
• What would you do/not do if you were concerned someone was going to file a malpractice suit against you?

If you're unsure, these Classes are for you!

I invite you to benefit from my experience as an Expert Witness in malpractice litigation, complaints to regulatory boards, and insurance audits to help you manage risks while supporting sustainable practice growth.

--Anthony Von der Muhll, L.Ac., DNBAO, DAOM

Avoiding Lawsuits I: Essential Principles & Practices

• Common myths, misperceptions, and wishful thinking regarding suits & complaints -- and how to avoid them
• What constitutes malpractice?
• Knowing and managing personal, professional, and cross-cultural risk factors
• Overview of 10 essential risk management principles & practices
• Avoiding and managing higher-risk patient-practitioner relationships
• Setting & maintaining alignment of appropriate patient-practitioner goals

Avoiding Lawsuits II: Clarifying Gray Areas in Scope of Practice & Consent

• Providing and documenting effective verbal, face-to-face informed consent
  • Live webinar includes practice and instructor feedback
• Appropriate health education as a risk management strategy
• Clarifying common "gray areas" in state licensing laws and scope of practice
• Introduction to general Standards of Care for acupuncture professionals.

Avoiding Lawsuits III: Safety & Documentation

• Knowing Standards of Care, and who defines them and how they are established
• Standards and best practices for avoiding and managing:
  • Pneumothoraces: screening for risk-elevating factors; high-risk locations, safe vs. unsafe needle angles and depths
  • Nerve trauma and arterial puncture: high-risk locations, safe vs. unsafe needle angles and depths, and monitoring during needle penetration
  • Heat lamp and moxa burns: screening for risk-elevating factors; recognizing and managing accidental burns
  • Suction cups, including "wet" and "fire" cupping: knowing contraindications and screening for risk-elevating factors; avoiding and managing injuries
  • Gua sha: knowing contraindications, risk-elevating factors, and contraindicated areas; avoiding injuries
  • Slip-and-fall injuries: screening for risk-elevating factors and preventing accidental falls
  • And more...
• Recognizing warning signs that patients may file suits or complaints
• Managing patient complaints to minimize risks of escalation to suits and complaints
• Critical documentation of safety protocols and management of adverse events

Avoiding Lawsuits IV: Ethics & Laws in Marketing and Billing

• Avoiding allegations of professional misconduct
  • "False Advertising:" more serious than it sounds
  • Self-dealing and profiteering from unnecessary treatment: a slippery slope for acupuncturists
  • Fee-splitting and kickbacks: common, but usually illegal
  • Risk-elevating prepaid treatment "packages" and concierge practices, vs. safer alternatives
• Risks of social media marketing; managing negative reviews
• Best practices in fee-setting, collecting co-pays, and providing discounts
• Avoiding insurer audits: best practices in coding and billing
• Accessing further help when needed
  

California Scope of Practice Laws: Clarifying the Gray Areas

• Responsibilities and rights as a "primary health care profession"
  • Is it legal to make a "biomedical" or "Western diagnosis?"
  • Case management and referrals
• Definitions of acupuncture vs. non-acupuncture needles; therapeutic aspiration of blood
• Health education vs. counseling: avoiding out-of-scope prescriptive psychotherapy
• "Asian massage” vs. other manual therapies
• “Naturally-occurring substances” vs. synthetic supplements
• Light therapies: lasers, LEDs, infrared
• Therapeutic exercise prescription vs. physical therapy
• Terms to avoid in advertising, communication, documentation, vs. better alternatives