We have a big problem that has come to my attention from various sources. The Veteran's Administration in Iowa has decided to replace the NCCAOM Licensed Acupuncturists with Doctors of Chiropractic that have acupuncture certification.
There is some confusion around this issue because the National VA has issued a mandate that all VA hospital systems provide Chiropractic and Acupuncture services by 2016. While this would seem like a great decision for our profession and the VA patients, it seems that both of the VA hospitals in Iowa (Iowa City and Des Moines) have chosen to cut costs and only hire Chiropractors who have certification in acupuncture. They have posted and closed three job openings for this position , 2 in Iowa City and 1 in Des Moines. There is no mention of Acupuncture on their website and I have not been able to contact anyone responsible as yet.
I was told by Laura Christensen and Rob Weingeist that the Iowa City VA has hired one DC with an NCCAOM diplomate and one DC with only 100 hour state certification (the minimum required in Iowa). In Des Moines, we were told by an acupuncturist who applied for the Job that she was refused an interview because they were only hiring Chiropractors for the position. This was very distressful to us given the fact that for the last 10+ years, two local Licensed Acupuncturists, Katherine Chuapoco and Brendan Chuapoco were on staff at the DSM VA providing acupuncture. We had been told that they were ending their contract, but were unaware of their replacement.
I am sending out this email for the following purposes:
1. To get more communication and information about this situation.
2. To ask our community to lobby the Iowa Veteran's Hospitals to reinstate the NCCAOM Licensed Acupuncturists positions.
3. To notify the media of this failure of the VA to hire properly trained medical professionals.
Please take this issue very seriously! Our profession has spent decades gaining respect and medical validity. When we let other professions to claim to practice acupuncture, we damage the reputation of acupuncture and put the general public at risk of malpractice.
There is some confusion around this issue because the National VA has issued a mandate that all VA hospital systems provide Chiropractic and Acupuncture services by 2016. While this would seem like a great decision for our profession and the VA patients, it seems that both of the VA hospitals in Iowa (Iowa City and Des Moines) have chosen to cut costs and only hire Chiropractors who have certification in acupuncture. They have posted and closed three job openings for this position , 2 in Iowa City and 1 in Des Moines. There is no mention of Acupuncture on their website and I have not been able to contact anyone responsible as yet.
I was told by Laura Christensen and Rob Weingeist that the Iowa City VA has hired one DC with an NCCAOM diplomate and one DC with only 100 hour state certification (the minimum required in Iowa). In Des Moines, we were told by an acupuncturist who applied for the Job that she was refused an interview because they were only hiring Chiropractors for the position. This was very distressful to us given the fact that for the last 10+ years, two local Licensed Acupuncturists, Katherine Chuapoco and Brendan Chuapoco were on staff at the DSM VA providing acupuncture. We had been told that they were ending their contract, but were unaware of their replacement.
I am sending out this email for the following purposes:
1. To get more communication and information about this situation.
2. To ask our community to lobby the Iowa Veteran's Hospitals to reinstate the NCCAOM Licensed Acupuncturists positions.
3. To notify the media of this failure of the VA to hire properly trained medical professionals.
Please take this issue very seriously! Our profession has spent decades gaining respect and medical validity. When we let other professions to claim to practice acupuncture, we damage the reputation of acupuncture and put the general public at risk of malpractice.
