AAMA Newsletter, March 2000

In this issue

AAMA Newsletter
Serving the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture
March 2000

MARF awarded grant for database

     The AAMA has awarded MARF a $5,000 grant to expand the database of acupuncture citations. The database will hopefully be the most complete and useful database on medical acupuncture in the English language. There are already more than 8,000 citations. The abstract/review work of Russ Erickson, MD, will be part of the database as well.
     The citations are all part of a reference database program called Reference Manager. If an NIH grant goes through in June, the Academy will be able to regularly update the database, but more importantly, it will be available online. Meanwhile, if there is a specific search you would like help with, contact Richard Friedericks at richardf@olympus.net and we will help you find a list of relatively up-to-date references.
     Website staff also is asking for help. We are reviewing what databases to review regularly. The current list includes: Medline, Allied and Alternative Medicine, MANTIS, EMBASE, ACULAR, Cochrane Collaborative and FP-IM database. Other suggestions? Please give your justification.
     Another issue is what journals to review and enter regularly that are not generally part of the above databases. AAMA’s journal is a case in point. Please include your justifications when sending suggestions.
     Also, members with reference lists in a digital format are asked to put them into a standard format and send them in so they can be easily incorporated into the main database. We can have an instrument that’s invaluable to future researchers and clinicians.
     Write to James Rotchford, MD, MPH, MARF President, 1334 Lawrence St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 (kimber@olympus.net).

Member News

Robert Schulman, MD, is asking members to respond to the following: “It appears that many insurance companies are writing policies that include coverage for acupuncture, if provided by an MD, in lieu of surgical anethesia. Is anyone aware of this as a use of acupuncture anywhere in the US or Canada?” To respond, please fax (323/937-0959) or e-mail (bdortberg@aol.com) the following: Your name, the date, hospital allowing acupuncture in lieu of surgical anesthesia, city, state, surgeon involved, MD performing acupuncture and insurance company paying for the procedure.
Members participating in AAMA’s referral program will be happy to hear that 1,879 inquiries came into national headquarters in December from patients seeking medical acupuncturists in their area. In 1999, there were 15,385 inquiries (averaging 1,282 per month). The toll-free phone number patients are calling for physician referrals is 800/521-2262. Practice members not participating in the referral program but who would like to, can contact Stephen Chan at Academy offices (323/937-5514, spc6@pacbell.net).
Acupuncture got a lot of coverage in press like Modern Medicine (January 2000) and on the Internet after Drs. Huey-Jen Lee and Wen-Ching Liu presented their study in December at the 85th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago. Using a new form of brain imaging, the pair confirmed that acupuncture relieves pain. President Bryan Frank, MD, promoted AAMA in an article about this study on the front page of a January issue of Investor’s Business Daily. Visit InteliHealth.com or rsna.org.
Kevin Lee, MD, has joined Alison Lee, MD, in practice at Barefoot Doctors. Based in Ann Arbor, MI, Kevin has privileges at several area hospitals. He completed residency in neurosurgery with fellowship training in pain management, Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. He focuses on offering his patients the latest surgical innovations combined with modalities from Chinese medicine and acupuncture. His presence in the local neurosurgical community is leading to some interesting conversations and brings a new element of open-mindedness to his colleagues.
AAMA was mentioned in Cleveland Magazine when Steven Scheer, MD, took out an ad in the publication’s 64-page Medical Guide supplement in February.
Hiroshi Nakazawa, MD, is giving a lecture in March entitled, “Arthritis: Alternative Treatment Options,” at the Community Education Seminar, Relief from Arthritis and Joint Pain: Know your Options, on the East Coast.
NIH announces the availability of a new, free 16-page publication, “Acupuncture Information and Resources Package.” Call 888/644-6226 or e-mail: nccamc@atlmedinfo.org.
In December, Ann Cotter, MD, was featured in the New York Times article, “Dancing With Doubters,” talking about acupuncture and complementary medicine. Her comments about bodywork, including acupuncture, were published (along with AAMA’s referral number) in the February issue of Dance Teacher magazine.
Send your notices to AAMA Newsletter (bdortberg@aol.com).

Conferences planned

Anatomical Acupuncture Approach to Management of Pain and Musculoskeletal Dysfunction is offered (with CME) by Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute March 18-19, Sept. 23-24 and Nov. 24-26. Call 416/752-3988 or e-mail: info@afcinstitute.com.
Angelica Fargas-Babjak, MD, is among directors instructing Medical Acupuncture and Related Techniques for the Treatment of Pain: A Practical Integrated Approach, Unit 2, April 7–9, 2000 at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (where Joseph Helms, MD, is faculty developer). Dates for Units 3–5 can be found at http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/anaesthesia. Sponsor is McMaster University Continuing Education. The course has been accredited by the College of Family Physicians of Canada for 110 MAINPRO-M1 Credits and by the AMA PRA Category 1 for 110 hours in Category 1 credit towards AMA’s Physician’s Recognition Award. To register, call 905/521-2100, x75175 or e-mail: cannonv@fhs.mcmaster.ca.
A Medical Qigong Seminar will be taught by Anita Cignolini, MD, May 5–7, 2000 in Santa Barbara, CA. For those without prerequisite prior experience with medical qigong exercise, there will be a pre-seminar introduction to qigong workshop on May 4. Sponsor is Cignolini Education Associates. For more information, call 805/560-6770 or e-mail tburgoon@aol.com.
Thomas Burgoon, MD, announces that a Traditional Chinese Acupuncture for Physicians Course will be held May 15–20, 2000 followed by part two Sept. 11–16 in Santa Barbara, CA. Taught by Anita Cignolini, MD, the course will grant 120 hours AAFP CME. Sponsors are USC School of Medicine and St. Lukes Medical Center. Call 323/442-1313 (tburgoon@aol.com).
Joseph Helms, MD, will be giving lectures and demonstrations at Practical Applications of Integrative Medicine: Applicable Alternative Therapy Solutions, presented by the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine, May 17–19, 2000 at Omni Netherland Plaza in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, accredited by ACCME, designates this educational activity for a maximum of 21 hours of Category 1 CME. For information, call 888/640-CARE, 513/791-5521 or visit: health-alliance.com.
Auricular Therapy courses will be offered on May 20-21, 2000 in Philadelphia and on Aug. 19-20 in San Francisco, and Auricular Medicine Seminar will be offered Nov. 4-5 in Philadelphia by Drs. Bryan Frank and Nader Soliman. For more information, call Integrated Medicine Seminars (972/489-4286).
Hiroshi Nakazawa, MD, sent in news about Oriental Medicine 2000: Integrity and Integration, Sept. 15-17. Sponsored by Four Gates Communications, Inc. and the New England School of Acupuncture, the event will be held at the Convention Center in Providence, RI. Call 888/798-0630.
The Acupuncture Society of Michigan will host May Loo, MD, for a two-day course, Oct. 7–8, 2000. She will devote one day to Pearls of Chinese Medicine, and one day expanding on these concepts as they apply to pediatric acupuncture. Call 734/665-8313.

Employment

MBA, MD, UCLA/Helms’ acupuncture graduate. Reiki Master, emergency medicine by trade, seeking an administrative or clinical position in an alternative clinic, health spa or CAM department. Send e-mail to: doc30@goldrush.com.
Senior UCLA/GLAHS PM&R resident and a UCLA medical acupuncture graduate looking for a post-residency job in California with an emphasis on pain management, general rehab and sports medicine. If you have advice concerning job hunting or know of any positions, please contact Peggy Chen, MD (213/400-3338, pchichen@hotmail.com)

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