Category Archives: Blog

Bad Google Review

Let’s talk a little bit about something that I’ve gotten a lot of questions about. Let’s talk about, what if I get a bad Google review?

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Disclaimer: The following is an actual transcript. We do our best to make sure the transcript is as accurate as possible, however, it may contain spelling or grammatical errors. Due to the unique language of acupuncture, there will be errors, so we suggest you watch the video while reading the transcript.

Greetings, friends, colleagues. This is Sam Collins, the coding and billing expert for acupuncture for you, for the American Acupuncture Council, and of course, for my AAC network members. Let’s talk a little bit about something that I’ve gotten a lot of questions about. Let’s talk about, what if I get a bad Google review?

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Let’s go to the slides. Let’s get into that. What if someone puts an online statement about you that’s false, bad, inflammatory, you name it? Let’s be careful. What if you do get a bad Google review? The first thing to do not let your emotion run away. When a patient makes a complaint or something less than flattering on an online platform, our immediate visceral response, of course, is going to be a little bit of anger because it is our integrity, and I do understand that.

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But you have to take a moment, take a breath, start to understand what’s going on and how to respond because no one’s ever going to have 100% good reviews. I’ve been to a lot of services and places that I think, “How did this person write a bad review?” Everyone’s experience is different, but remember, there’s a lot of reviews.

Here’s where we have to be careful. You are a healthcare provider. You are bound by HIPAA regulations, so be very careful. When the patient even identifies themselves and discusses their treatment, you should never, regardless of what they’ve done, even confirm the reviewer is a patient Don’t even get into it.

I saw that when you came today. No. You got to make sure that you do not discuss diagnosis, treatment, appointments, billing, or outcomes, nothing that I would identify them. So for the most part, it would be a very generic response, of course. Now, obviously, factual inaccuracies by revealing protected health information.

You may think that wasn’t true.” You can’t correct it. Again, you’ve got to always remember, your greater violation will be the issue of protected health information. You may have a much bigger lawsuit against you than just someone saying, “I didn’t like the office.” Be careful. Do not engage in any type of argument or back and forth.

It’s not worth it. It’s like arguing religion, politics. You’re not going to win that. So be careful. Always think of, “What is my best practice?” You get a bad review, you should have thousands of good reviews. Make sure they’re there. Make it available. Encourage reviews. Aid patients in making access. Maybe not the first visit they’ve come, but after a few, get a lot of reviews going.

I think something that a person can go through and see that there’s, hundreds of reviews, and you’ve got one or two that are bad, oh, come on. You ever been to a restaurant that was fantastic, but there’s still a couple of bad reviews because they didn’t like the waitress, or there was too long of a wait?

It’s a good restaurant. That’s why there is a wait. Now, sometimes the best practice is no response at all. But if a review is negative but not defamatory, okay. What if the reviewer is angry and likely to continue the dispute? Not worth it. You can tell by the way they’ve done it. They’re trying to prompt you a little bit.

And realize a response may draw more attention, and y- all of a sudden now, instead of there being that one response, you’ve got lines of responses, ’cause it’s gone back and forth, and they’re taking it even further. Realize often just putting something in there that just says, “We would love to address this with you.

Please, give us a call or reach out to us,” may be the best response. Prospective patients are more influenced by a pattern of reviews than a single review. I know that’s true for me. I don’t think I’ve ever not chosen something, oh, there was one bad review. I’m looking for a pattern. If I see a bunch, now I’m concerned.

But realize, never argue or be defensive. Never. Never. You’re never gonna win that. De-escalate it. Make them come to your side. When you choose to respond, first thing you do, take a breath Breathe in and think, “Okay, what’s the best way to respond?” Maybe give yourself a little time. Don’t respond right away.

Take some time. Keep your response brief, professional, and frankly, just generic. Being calm and generic will reflect well, as potential patients can see that the office remains professional even when you’re criticized. You ever see someone that when they’re being criticized, when they have a measured response, you’re like, “Ooh, wow.

That’s the type of person that I want to be.” I want you to be that way ’cause that’s what your patients are looking for. I don’t want a doctor that’s off the hinges. Now, what about someone that re- reported something that’s just false? Okay, demonstrably just way out of line. Preserve screenshots, okay? And then obviously check the platform policies.

Realize most are not gonna remove something. They really aren’t. Now, maybe something exceptionally defamatory, maybe, but I find most people have tried, they pretty much won’t, so that’s why I say always bury it. If you are going to say anything about, “I’m gonna sue,” or anything like that, please don’t do that until you’ve consulted legal counsel.

You don’t wanna make any statement you don’t already know the answer to. I’ll give an example. Both my son and daughter are attorneys, and when they’re in court, the one thing they’ve always told me is they never ask a question they do not already know the answer to. So before you start to make any statements about, “I’m going to sue you,” better make sure, “Do I have standing, and can I actually sue?”

Chances are probably not anyway. But I get it, because it’s your integrity. So make sure you stay calm, but also make sure your staff understands, too, because sometimes your staff is defensive for you. And remember, designate who’s gonna respond to these. Are you going to allow staff, or is it gonna be the doctor only?

Make a rule that no employee may disclose any patient information online under any circumstance. They’re not responding probably at all, but they have to follow the same rules, that responses should be approved by designated management, meaning by you. But again, I’m still gonna go back, should be us. And then when legal counsel should be consulted.

Before you make any statements, “Eh, is this something maybe I want some legal counsel.” Maybe you wanna check with your malpractice carrier. Remember, American Acupuncture Council does protect you for when there’s lawsuits against you or when patients… I’m not saying they’re gonna defend you for a bad review.

But should that person turn into something legal, they will be there to help you, and they are there to help. I will say responding to a bad review requires a calm, prompt however, and professional reproach. Your primary goal is not to argue, but to show potential customers, ’cause this one’s probably gone anyway, that you’re attentive, empathetic, and committed Focus on commitment to service and next steps to contact you directly.

Make sure they’re aware, “Oh, no, I- here’s how you get in touch with us.” More though, have a lot of other reviews. What I see too often is reviews get old. When you get a new patient or someone that’s come in that’s been helpful, encourage them. I know I certainly like to. If I’ve had a good service, I love to give them person a review.

Realize that is part of what we do in society now with the way we have online platforms. Give yourself a chance for that. The American Acupuncture Council, myself, we’re here for you. Network members, you’ve ever run into this, please contact me. Let’s do a one-on-one Zoom. If you’re not a member, think about it, because we’re really gonna be able to help you.

But wholeheartedly, we want to make sure you’re successful. Your practice is always gonna have challenges. We’re here to meet those challenges. Until next time, my friends.

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What to Know Before Requesting an Acupuncturist Professional Liability Insurance Quote

As acupuncture continues to gain acceptance as a treatment option in the United States, protecting your practice has become just as important as caring for your patients. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, millions of Americans use acupuncture each year, and many states require practitioners to carry professional liability coverage. Industry data also show that standard coverage limits for acupuncturists are commonly set at $1 million per claim and $3 million in aggregate protection. That’s why obtaining an acupuncturist professional liability insurance quote should be part of every practitioner’s business plan.

Why Professional Liability Coverage Matters

Even experienced acupuncturists can face unexpected claims. A patient may allege negligence, question a treatment outcome, or claim an injury occurred during care. Defending yourself against these allegations can be expensive, even if you did nothing wrong.

Professional liability insurance helps cover legal expenses, settlements, and other costs associated with claims. It provides a financial safety net, cushioning you from possible legal burden should a client file a complaint. That allows you to focus on your patients instead of worrying about the potential impact of a lawsuit.

What Affects Your Insurance Quote?

Not every policy is priced the same. Several factors can influence the cost of an acupuncturist’s professional liability insurance quote.

Your location, years of experience, patient volume, and the services you provide all play a role. Practitioners who offer additional modalities, such as herbal medicine or cosmetic acupuncture, may need broader coverage than someone providing traditional treatments alone. Annual premiums typically vary depending on these factors. That is why it is imperative to request quotes from several providers; it allows you to compare them with relative ease and choose the best.

What to Look for Before You Buy

Before choosing a policy, take time to compare options. Here are several things worth reviewing:

Coverage limits and deductibles
Claims-made versus occurrence policies
Defense costs and legal expense coverage
Coverage for additional services or specialties
State licensing requirements
Carrier reputation and claims support
Easy renewal and certificate access

Taking a few extra minutes to compare policies today could save you significant stress later.

Don’t Focus Only on Price

It’s tempting to choose the cheapest option, but coverage details matter. A lower premium may come with exclusions that leave you exposed when you need protection the most.

Think about the size of your practice, the number of patients you see, and your long-term goals. The right policy should fit your needs, not just your budget. An insurer that offers custom-designed policies is more often a good candidate.

If you’re ready to protect the practice you’ve worked hard to build, now is a great time to request an acupuncturist professional liability insurance quote. Contact the American Acupuncture Council today and explore coverage options that can help you practice with greater confidence and peace of mind.

Call us at (800) 838-0383 for inquiries.

Clearing Blocks before Treating The Face – Michelle Gellis

And the topic of my talk today is the importance of clearing blocks before doing cosmetic or any facial acupuncture treatment.

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Hi, my name’s Michelle Gellis. I am an acupuncture physician and an international educator, and I am also the author of the book, “Treating the Face.” It is a comprehensive guide for acupuncturists and health professionals. It is a full-color, 500-page book encompassing everything having to do with treating the face.

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First, I would like to thank the American Acupuncture Council for giving me this opportunity to speak to you today. So what I’m going to talk about today comes from chapter two of my book, which is all about five element acupuncture. And the topic of my talk today is the importance of clearing blocks before doing cosmetic or any facial acupuncture treatment.

So what is a block, and why is it important to treat them and clear them? So a block is the im– is an impediment to the smooth flow of qi throughout the body. It’s if you think about water going downstream if you think of your qi as like a river flowing, and if there were sticks blocking the water from going downstream, that is energetically what a block to treatment is like.

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So how might it show up? Blocks can… The effect and how it could show up is it could make symptoms worse, or it could make your treatments not as effective. And this is important to us when treating the face because when we are treating someone’s face we’re not just treating them from here to here.

All of my cosmetic treatments involve a full body acupuncture treatment, and this is because we are treating the whole person. So if the qi is blocked anywhere, then it is going to affect our cosmetic acupuncture treatments, and this can show up in, again, the treatments not being as effective or your patient can have increased side effects from the treatment strange sensations, headaches, dizziness, these types of things.

So it’s really important to clear energetic blocks to treatment before treating the face. The health of the entire body is reflected on the face, and our face is the most yang part of our body. So things like wind and heat and a lot of different stagnations and deficiencies can show up on our face.

They can show up as red spots, dark spots, dryness, puffiness, especially under the eyes. And when we’re thinking about the face and blocks in particular, all of the yang organs, all of the yang channels converge up on the face, and we’ll get back to that in just a second. Thinking about our five element…

I’m a Worsley trained five element acupuncturist I think a lot when I’m designing my treatments, I think a lot about the emotions and how the emotions affect our overall health, and our face is how we express our emotions. And if we can’t or don’t express our emotions due to some sort of blocked channels, blocked qi or perhaps there’s neuropathy somewhere, or your patient has been getting some sort of neurotoxins in order to relax certain muscles, or if your patient has a condition like Bell’s palsy or myasthenia gravis and they can’t express an emotion, then this is not just affecting the face, it’s going to affect our overall health.

So the first thing that I always do when I’m doing a cosmetic acupuncture treatment is I check for and treat any blocks to treatment. So today I’m gonna talk about two blocks to treatment, and one of them is referred to as aggressive energy. So aggressive energy is contaminated, polluted qi that might be circulating through the channels, and it can affect all aspects of our mental, physical, and emotional health, so body, mind, and spirit And there’s really no way just by looking at a person or talking to a person or probably not even feeling their pulses unless you’re highly skilled to know if someone has aggressive energy.

So what we do is we test to see if the person has aggressive energy through an aggressive energy treatment. So the treatment is a test, and the test is also a treatment. So by testing for aggressive energy, you’re treating the person. The points that we use are the AEPs on the back, all the Back Shu points and they are bladder thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, eighteen, twenty, and twenty-three.

So we’re going to go top to bottom, right to left. We’re going to put the points in, and we don’t push the needle all the way in. You just tap the needle in so that they’re just hanging there, and then you’re going to put in a test needle, one in the upper jiao, one in the middle jiao, and one in the lower jiao.

And if the redness around the acupuncture points, the Back Shu points, is different in size or color than the redness around the test needle, then that is usually a sign of aggressive energy. And the test needles are put either between the inner and outer bladder line or between the inner bladder line and the spine, any place that’s not an acupuncture point.

And you will leave these needles in until the aggressive energy clears. I always leave them in for at least fifteen minutes just in case. And I do this on all of my patients for the first treatment and typically within fifteen or twenty minutes, the AE will clear. Another block that’s very important to check for and to clear when you’re treating the face are entry/exit blocks.

And if we think about the flow of energy in the Chinese clock, the energy goes from heart to small intestine to bladder to kidney, etc., etc., around the Chinese clock. And energy moves that way through the channels. So when you’re feeling the pulses, if you notice that the, let’s say, small intestine pulse, which comes right before the bladder pulse, if that small intestine pulse is really big and pushy and the bladder pulse is very small, then it sh- can be a signal that the energy is not getting from bladder to small intestine, and there is an exit/entry block.

And the way you treat this is by treating the exit and entry points of these two channels. So the exit point for small intestine is small intestine 19, and the entry point for bladder is bladder one What you would do is you would if you feel this on the pulse, then you would treat small intestine 19 by tonifying it, and the way we do that is we put the needle in and we turn it 180 degrees clockwise, and then we take it out.

And then I do bladder one and a half kind of on the bridge of the nose and instead of getting all the way into bladder one, and you are going to tonify that, turn it 180 degrees, take it out, and then you would do the same thing on the other side. And usually, this will clear any blocks. You can also suspect these blocks in addition to the pulse.

People usually report they’re having ear issues with their ears. Some, so something physical, headaches and the headaches that cause you to go like this and it feels better. And this is really important because you don’t want to be treating the face unless the face is completely open and the energy is flowing freely.

Can you put up the slide, please? So there are several other blocks that we check for in five element acupuncture having to do with the Shang cycle and I cover all of these in my book and I go into depth about spirit blocks possession husband-wife imbalances, and all of these have to do with getting the chi to move smoothly throughout the body and the face.

You can take the slide down

That is a little bit about why it’s important to clear blocks before doing any facial treatments on your patients. And if you would like more information, you can visit my website, facialacupunctureclasses.com, and check out some of my recorded classes and my live classes. And I hope to see you in class one day soon.

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Treating Children with Seasonal Allergies

And I want to point out that when we talk about seasonal allergies, this is a range of diseases that can manifest in various ways starting with allergic rhinitis en-enlarged adenoids and that affects the sleep,…

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Hello, this is Moshe Heller from the Motion Center and Motion Herbs. I want to thank the American Acupuncture Council for letting me present today on this topic of treating children with seasonal allergies. This is a lecture that I’m repeating a lecture that I did exactly a year ago also talking about this subject.

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But spring is here, and and it is the time to talk about these things. And we have lots of patients that we meet or at least I’m seeing a lot of patients who are in need for help in this season with allergies. So now we can go to the slides, please. The spring is here, as I mentioned, and there’s these…

When spring comes and as practitioners of Chinese medicine, we always need to say to be in, in touch with the changes of the season. We feel those fluctuating temperatures the blooming plants and trees, and that all brings these sneezing and sniffles, and runny noses, and irritated eyes and ear– scratchy throats, and these are all signs of the seasonal allergies.

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And today, we’ll dis-discuss how we can help these patients with both acupuncture and herbs. And I want to point out that when we talk about seasonal allergies, this is a range of diseases that can manifest in various ways starting with allergic rhinitis en-enlarged adenoids and that affects the sleep, can cause sleep adne-apnea.

And children who have a tendency to have seasonal allergies will also tend to have some food allergies, and we’ll talk about why that is happening in a se- in a second. We have to understand that there’s a reaction of our immune system which causes an inflammatory process or an allergic inflammatory process, and we need to address that from multiple ways.

I just want to remind you this slide reminds you that there’s a lot of times the spleen or our digestive sy-system is at the center of this me- of this disease process, of the pathology. And we have a weakness a lot of times of the spleen and stomach, which then does not support the lung appropriately, and therefore our wei qi is imbalanced and overreactive.

And that our spleen also produces phlegm and dampness, which goes upwards and affects the orifices. So that just points out that when we see children with allergies in– I always discuss diet because for me there’s always a relationship between allergies and our diet. So when we suspect there is an allergy in the pathology then we always have to talk about are there any phlegm-producing foods that they are consuming and how we can change that in order to help in resolving the issues that that we’re that, that are presenting.

It’s really important to just start by asking what they eat on a regular basis. What’s their diet like? I always say, “What do they eat in the morning? What are their snacks? What are their lunch like? What’s their snack in between lunch? What’s their dinner like?” And that helps me Really understand what they tend to eat and is there any contributing factors for that?

And so always consider giving a three-week food journal. That is extremely helpful. I found that to be very helpful when I have patients do that and when they actually report that, then we can see what they’re eating and discuss, have a discussion about diet. So when we talk about pattern differentiation in in these conditions, we always look for, is there any lung or spleen qi vacuity or deficiency?

Or what we see a lot of times in Chinese in pediatrics, is that the … There could be a situation where there’s what we call hyperactive spleen qi deficiency, where the patient is actually s- s- having a spleen deficiency, but their behavior is very hyperactive and doesn’t really match the deficiency symptoms that we are, that they are presenting.

We always, I always also look to see if there’s any lingering pathogenic factors. As we know, lingering pathogenic factors can be a very common cause of disease in children. One telling sign is that their lymph glands under their mandibles are swollen. And so I’ll palpate that and if there’s, they’re swollen, I’ll start to ask questions about lingering pathogenic factor.

Was there an illness that was never fully resolved or has been chronic and that could be the trigger? There could be also a liver yang rising. We children also can manifest with liver yang rising and sometimes emotions, when liver … When we talk about liver yang rising, a lot of times emotional factors can be part of that situation.

What we may need to note is that each of these patterns may have bouts of either wind cold or wind heat attacks, meaning that it’s concurrently a wind cold or wind heat that’s attacking on the surface. And there it can be also complicated with phlegm dampness. In some cases, there could be an underlying kidney involvement, a kidney vacuity.

And what we always need to understand that when there’s an allergic s- condition that we … That there’s when there’s an allergic condition, there’s always some heat hidden or it’s … The heat is coming from somewhere. It could be yin fire, it could be qi stagnation, and it could be phlegm congestion.

All these are possibilities, but there always is a heat source or a cause for the heat to be present. So when we the … When we talk about allergies, it means that there is an hyperactivity of the immune system, meaning it reacts at the times that it’s not supposed to react, and therefore I

That, for me, always represents a heat condition or a hot condition that it could be deficiency heat, it could be excess heat, but there’s heat somewhere in the system, and we need to figure out where it’s coming from. Again, once we come with a di- have a diagnosis, we always can consider these different points.

Our main points are always Lung 7 and Large Intestine 4 to help resolve the exterior aspect of that. Du 23 is a point that I use a lot for clearing of the sinuses, so if there’s any accumulation, congestion, runny nose, anything that we need to address in the sinus area, Du 23 helps to clear both damp and phlegm and wind and cold from the si- from the head.

So that’s a very important point, as well as Gallbladder 40. Gallbladder 40 is a really important point, and sometimes I may use moxa on it or just needle it depending on the presentation, and that’s a very helpful point to … Especially when we have rhinitis as as part of the presentation.

Liver 3 there’s a lot of heat and the face is red and fa- symptoms of heat in the upper part, in the facial area, then I would consider Liver 2 or Liver 3 if there’s, there are not. Always remember this area between Large Intestine 10 and Large Intestine 11, maybe towards the triple burner line is what we call the immune regulation area, and I check for sensitivity or puffiness and and address that area also if needed.

Triple burner cis 16 triple warmer 16 is also a very important ar- immune point and help to regulate the lymph drainage in the neck area. And so that’s a very important point that I consider. As well as Du 12, if there’s lung qi reg… for lung qi regulation and a- activation of the thymus gland.

These are– this is why we would choose Du 12. And I always palpate the spine and needle very tight spots and look at areas like Du 2, Du 3 and/or Du 6. So these are areas that I check to see if there’s any irritation. And we could use needles. For some children, I might use shonishen technique and I always want you to remember that teishin is meaning the needle that is non-skin penetrating is always part of– has always been part of our nine traditional needles.

And we just need to understand that when we’re stimulating the skin, we’re stimulating the depths of our nervous system and also our qi. And therefore, it’s important to remember that we don’t necessarily need to use a needle in for all these points, but we can definitely use teishin or non- non-needling techniques or non-insertion techniques.

I also wanna point out we’re shifting a little bit to talk about herbs. One point… One thing I want to point out is this s- s- research study that was done on stabilizing mast cell a- mast cell activity. And there is a formula that was used. The Chin- included three Chinese herbs.

Those are… This formula is called Shuang Huang Lian, which is genin hua phloroglaucina, radix scutellaria, huang Qin, and forsythia, Lian Qiao. So these three herbs really help to act to regulate mast cell. And I’ll also mention that I’ll show you a product in a few seconds which is made from quercetin, bromelain, and nettles which are which is a great compilation to also help regulate or down-regulate mast cell activity, similar to what this formula might be doing.

So you can use these three herbs as a component in other traditional formulas that you might be using or according to the pattern differentiation to help with down-regulating mast cell activity. I also want to mention another research study that was done by Dr. Li from Mount Sinai. She used a formula.

She used a-another traditional Chinese formula Wu Mei Wan to address food allergies in particular. But I in my experience, it will definitely also be a good formula to consider in environmental allergies. And the formula is, This is the traditional formula.

It has known– it’s known for its zhūyīn. This is the ma-ma-main formula in the zhūyīn which addresses also parasites. And that’s why I think Dr. Li chose it because of the parasite theory and allergies that you can definitely read on in this, you have the research study right here.

And it points out– And this is actually the formula that was finally used in the research. This is the product I was referring to. It’s called D-Hist. Again, it’s made from quercetin, bromelain, and and nettles, which are all help in regulating allergic or the histamine response, regulating histamine response.

And it– There is a pediatric version, the D-Hist Junior chewables. I usually give this in larger quantity than is recommended on the dosage because I believe that the quantity of quercetin needs to be high in order to down-regulate or get a very a better effect on the for the patients.

So I sometimes double or triple the amount of the D-Hist that I would recommend for patients I want to– I hope this helped you very to address some of your patients’ concerns especially when it comes to allergic responses. I see a lot of patients in my office, especially in this season but also throughout the year, especially food-with food allergies.

And I so I hope this helps. And I want to thank the American Acupuncture Council again for letting me speak today. Thank you very much.

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Practice Protocols Navigating the Challenging Economy

…talk about what type of practice protocols do we need to have when we’re navigating a challenging economy, because our patients are navigating it.

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Hello to my acupuncture friends and family. This is Sam Collins, the coding and billing expert for acupuncture and for you. Obviously, the American Acupuncture Council is always a resource for you as the American Acupuncture Council Network. Network members spay pay special attention, if you will.

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Let’s get into what’s going on in our world right now. Let’s go to the slides and talk about what type of practice protocols do we need to have when we’re navigating a challenging economy, because our patients are navigating it. We hear on the news every day, gas prices, grocery prices, everything. So we’re gonna be challenged now for that discretionary income.

When I say that, it’s for patients coming in, let’s face it, when they think of acupuncture, what are they really thinking about? When an economy tightens, an acupuncture practice that depends on cash pay patients needs to make some pivots. You need to make adjustments because shifting from a visit-based revenue to a value-based revenue is what you’re going to look to.

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And what I mean by that is shifting from something that’s value. Understand needs versus wants. This is something I’ll give credit to my mother, taught me when I was very young. People will buy what they want and beg for what they need. Think of how often you’ve had a friend that comes to you to borrow money to pay a bill, yet you notice they have on new shoes or they went out to a concert.

That’s, they wanted that concert, but they need to get their bill paid. I wanna put our category of care more to a want, the patient’s seeking it out, not creating that, “Oh, I need it.” ‘Cause I don’t think people often are gonna feel that need in the ways that we think it is. So keep in mind, though, discounting alone is a weak lever.

It really just compresses margin. You just, you make it cheaper, great, but it makes it more commoditized. I want a practice that focuses on doing things well, and these things are gonna be retaining a patient, repackaging and differentiating what you are that are different from others. Where do I get these?

Realize that often when you think of going out and marketing just to the public, that may not work as well. I start first with where’s the return on investment? It’s with existing patients. Think of retention first. Think of all these patients that have seen you over the years that are familiar with what you do, but they’ve just forgotten.

Acquiring new cash patients gets harder and more expensive in a downturn because where’s your marketing? I had a friend this week that said he was trying to post a job on Indeed and he wasn’t getting results. It just kept getting more and more costs from Indeed. So he had to think of what’s the return on investment.

The return is gonna come from your existing base. That’s gonna be your most reliable stream. Identify your patients. Reactivate who’s already there. Send them out emails, maybe a phone call, maybe a text message, and look for patients that have not been in for maybe 60 to 180 days. You could certainly go longer, but I would start there.

Think of the number of people who are familiar with that go, “Oh, yeah.” Make sure you use it as condition specific. Don’t just say, “Hey, come back in, get some acupuncture.” Get specific to your patient. Go into and get each one. Don’t send a blanket. Ask them how their low back pain is holding up, how maybe they’re dealing with home and work.

How about stress, anxiety? Realize acupuncture helps a great deal there. Patients often forget those changes. What about someone with headaches or how about athletes? A lot of athletes are realizing now recovery and their ability to participate in their sport comes to how well their body can maintain function.

So focus in on these types, whether it’s high school, club, or otherwise. There’s often a lot of help that you’re giving that I think sometimes we’re missing out on. Keep in mind, every professional team has an acupuncturist. Why aren’t you getting some of those patients, not necessarily maybe the professionals, but the other athletes who look up to them?

Now, I’m gonna suggest, though, outcomes. The beauty of acupuncture is its ability to work. Now, obviously, if someone comes in and they’re in a lot of pain, what is acupuncture going to do? Reduce the pain. I like that. But is that all they’re coming for? I don’t think so. This is why you wanna use simple outcome tools, whether it’s the Oswestry Dis- Disability Index, neck disability, or the PROMIS pain scales, or general pain ind- pain index.

I wanted you to in- demonstrate improvement trends, not just a reduction of pain. If all you’re looking for is to get rid of pain, that may go on a visit or two, they’re gonna think, “I don’t need anymore.” I want to see the progress so that the patient now understands the value. The value of the service makes price less of an issue This is the want.

Define the care. You’re taking them from acute to corrective to functional. Notice this is not about just getting them to maintenance. I want you to avoid terms like maintenance or wellness. That is where people don’t see the need. I want it to be their ability to function and maintain their ability to their lifestyle.

Maybe you wanna start to change your pricing, but pricing is not a race to the bottom. It’s not so much changing a price to make it the cheapest, but making it more affordable. Realize if you go to purchase a car, you’ll notice they never really advertise the price of the car, ’cause if they told you the car was eighty thousand, you would never wanna buy it.

But if they tell you, “Oh, you can get this car for six hundred and fifty a month,” all of a sudden now it seems affordable. So this is where it comes to you. What about monthly debits? Maybe where they get two to four visits at a preferred rate. Maybe with that, they join this package, they’re gonna get some priorities, maybe priority scheduling, maybe same-day visits, or discounts on other things.

Maybe they get discounts on your herb programs. But focus on the access and continuity of the care, not that it’s cheap. Tie it to a specific diagnosis, condition, or a goal. Maybe you have lumbar pain and stabilization program. Maybe it’s a stress program. Maybe it’s a headache program. Any of those are fine, but it’s gotta be anchored to the value of an outcome, okay?

Not just the cost of the visit. I’m looking more to the outcome, and don’t tie the outcome only to pain, but their ability to maintain their lifestyle and function. Now realize prepaid packages could be a good start to this. Realize in every state you can do it. Some states like Montana and Florida do require that you put money into a trust account.

But for the most part, just keep it simply compliant that the patient understands what they’ve purchased. Maybe the single price is eighty dollars a visit or a hundred. But if you buy a package of ten, maybe it’s only sixty a visit or six hundred, but that’s six hundred paid up front. Make sure it’s a good financial understanding, meaning if the patient knows what they’ve pur-purchased, they sign a financial document.

Make sure there’s expectations from you as the provider, what you’re gonna give to the patient, but also to the patient, the expectations of the visits, the, continuity of care, what happens if they miss a visit and so forth. I would just say, “Okay, good. We’re gonna extend it.” But do make a plan.

Don’t just leave it open-ended ’cause realize to be compliant, there’s gotta be some type of refunds. Now, refunds would be if it’s unused, they get it back. But I would suggest just p-push it forward to a different plan. Make sure you’re making clinical differentiation. Again, not just pain, but conditions.

Maybe they work at a desk. Maybe they have a neck or back issue from that. Maybe they’re a runner. Maybe they’re, again, headaches, stress, sleep. You can name almost anything that you deal with. Think of the myriad of services that acupuncturists can help someone with. Start to tie it to that, not just the reduction of pain, but how those increase function.

Realize if I’m reducing a headache and the headache is gone the headache’s not there, but how does that tie into their sleep or to their lifestyle, their stress level, how they’re dealing with relationships? What about integrating some care? Pair your services with other things. Maybe you’re gonna pair it with some type of exercise program.

Maybe you pair it with some massage. Maybe you pair it with stretching. But think of the myriad of things. It could be yoga, tai chi, qigong. Think of all the places you could go with this for a patient to go, they’re gonna come in and get this 30-minute visit, then they’re gonna get maybe some guided exercise or an ability to just have a p- a space in your office to do it, even if you’re not one-on-one with them.

Bottom line, though, is give me some outcomes and objectives. Give them something they can measure and see, not just, “I feel better,” but there’s things they can do that where they’re better. Expand your cash-friendly services. What about setting up a community acupuncture? Think of this is why the j- not the joint, but modern acupuncture.

Realize modern acupuncture is struggling. I’ve seen a lot of them close because I think more and more offices like ours are beginning to integrate that in that you can offer that style. But what about adding to it? Again, soft tissue programs, guided exercise, or how about short tune-up care plans?

Something that, okay, this is a three-visit care plan or a four-visit, but make it something that’s accessible. What I would avoid is across-the-board discounts, okay? That’s the death knell, because you’re gonna attract price shoppers. Someone’s gonna go, “Who’s the cheapest today?” That’s not the type I want.

Remember, you’re not a 99-cent store. You’re a doctor. When I pick a doctor, I’m picking a doctor because they’re good. Now, it’s gotta be affordable and reasonable, but I’m gonna pick you because of what you’re offering, that outcome. So make sure that you’re giving them function and necessity, not wellness.

Make an emphasis towards how your care gives them an ability to work, sleep, daily function, athletic function, and recovery. If you wanna get a good place to get patients, join a gym. Get in there and work out. Dress nice. But the more people learn that you’re an acupuncturist, trust me, you’re gonna get people that wanna come to your services.

Realize people who go to the gym generally have higher than average incomes if they have a gym membership. They may even have decent insurance. Realize this doesn’t negate using some insurance, but this means we’ve gotta pivot for these types of patients. Bottom line is your proof. Measure the outcomes.

Now, what I say about bottom line is not the proof of the patient, your outcomes. When you make these changes, anything you do, whether it’s taking insurance, not taking insurance, doing packages- Track your visit averages. Track your revenue per visit. What’s the retention rate? Did this really work? You’ve gotta have a metric.

Think of it, it’s like going onto Shark Tank a little bit. You have to go on and say, “Did this work?” And if it doesn’t, that’s okay. We pivot and adapt. Realize a practice is always changing. This is why we call it a practice. It’s not a perfect. You wanna start to learn what to works. What does your community look for?

What are your goals? Your goals are what my goals are. You have a good, successful, fun practice. Acupuncture works well, but often people don’t understand it because they’re tied to the pain model. Let’s get them going beyond that. The American Acupuncture Council is always your support. My network is the big support.

If you’re a network member with me, reach out. Let’s get into some details here. Let’s do a one-on-one Zoom. Let’s spend some time together. If you’re not a network member, take a look here. This is something we’re really here to help you. Our goal, make your practices successful because without you, I lack success as well.

Until next time, my friends.

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Acupuncture Malpractice Insurance Policy Supports Small Practice Success

Running a small acupuncture practice comes with unique challenges. You’re not just the practitioner—you’re also managing appointments, client relationships, and day-to-day operations. That’s why having the right acupuncture malpractice insurance policy is especially important for solo practitioners and small clinics. With millions of Americans seeking acupuncture each year for pain relief and wellness, even small practices are seeing steady client flow—making proper protection a must.

When you’re operating on a smaller scale, one unexpected claim can have a bigger financial impact. The right coverage helps you stay focused on your work without unnecessary stress.

Why Insurance Matters More for Small Practices

In a small practice, there’s often less margin for error—financially. Unlike larger clinics, you may not have the resources to absorb legal costs or unexpected claims. An acupuncture malpractice insurance policy helps protect you from expenses in relation to client complaints, injuries, or misunderstandings. It acts as a safety net, ensuring that one incident doesn’t disrupt everything you’ve worked hard to build.

Common Risks You May Face

Even with experience and proper technique, risks can still arise in everyday practice:

Clients experiencing soreness or unexpected reactions
Sensitivity or allergies to oils or treatments
Miscommunication about treatment outcomes
Slips or falls inside your clinic
Disputes that lead to legal claims

Being prepared for these possibilities helps you operate with confidence.

Practical Benefits for Independent Practitioners

For solo acupuncturists and small clinics, the right insurance coverage offers real, day-to-day value:

Financial protection against claims and legal fees
Support in handling disputes professionally
Added credibility when working with clients
Peace of mind during treatments
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These benefits allow you to focus on delivering quality care instead of worrying about “what if” scenarios.

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Generic insurance policies may not fully address the risks associated with acupuncture. Providers that specialize in this field understand the specific needs of small practitioners. They can tailor coverage depending on how you practice—whether you work from a private clinic, shared space, or even a home-based setup. It ensures get the needed coverage without paying for unnecessary extras.

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As a small practitioner, your business depends on your skills, reputation, and consistency. Protecting it with the right insurance is one of the smartest decisions you can make.

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