National Certi f ication Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Annual Report

Transcription

1 National Certi f ication Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Annual Report 2 09

2 A Message from the NCCAOM Chair and CEO Tess Hahn Dr. Kory Ward-Cook The NCCAOM s efforts during 2009 continued to focus on our commitment to upholding and promoting its standards for certification and providing continued support for our certification candidates and our Diplomates. The outcomes of our work were evidenced first and foremost by the publishing of the expanded examination content outlines contained in the new NCCAOM Study Guides as a result of the 2008 Job Task Analysis (JTA) survey. In addition to exam development activities, the Board remained committed to expanding avenues for demonstrating competency maintenance by Diplomates. The requirement for all Diplomates to acquire a CPR certificate during each recertification cycle further highlights the emphasis on competency in the area of safety. The Board of Commissioners continues to approve new Professional Development Activity (PDA) categories that facilitate our Diplomates meeting their PDA requirements for certification. The number of active Diplomates continues to grow; as of December 31, 2009 there were 17,372 certifications held by over 15,000 active Diplomates in which 1,302 were newly certified Diplomates. The number of candidates who took NCCAOM examinations in Acupuncture, Foundations of Oriental Medicine, and Chinese Herbology was higher in 2009 than in The number of examinees for the Asian Bodywork examination was the lowest number since the examination has been offered. This program will be studied very closely over the next few years. The percentage of individuals scheduled to recertify who actually certified in 2009, was less than the previous year. This phenomenon will also be closely evaluated and studied in the coming years to address obstacles for Diplomates maintaining continued competencies. Diligence in management, tight adherence to policy and organizational goals have enabled NCCAOM s financial health to rebound significantly from the previous two years. The audited statement of activities and change in net assets at year-end, December 31, 2009, can be seen in the Financial Activities section of this report annual report

3 In 2009 a thorough review of all by-laws and governance policies resulted in a more streamlined set of by-laws and a more comprehensive governance policy manual. Further, in the area of governance, the first NCCAOM Volunteer Handbook, accompanied by position descriptions for all Commissioners, officers, committee members and committee chair positions were published. Another noteworthy activity that was completed in 2009 was the trademark registration for all NCCAOM acronyms, logos, and tagline and certification service marks. One of the most significant collaborative activities that occurred in 2009 was the creation of the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM) National Organizations Strategic Plan. The leadership of the NCCAOM joined with seven other national organizational leaders to create the plan which included the following vision statement: By 2014, Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM), an independent, licensed profession, will be fully accessible to the public throughout American health care. The four aggressive goals are to: promote research, education, public awareness and outreach; increase job opportunities for AOM graduates in all health care settings; obtain federal recognition for the profession; and achieve licensure and parity in 50 states and DC. The Year in Review, 2009 Highlights section of this 2009 Annual Report summarizes all the accomplishments and activities of the organization in We are very pleased that the governor of Mississippi signed the first state acupuncture licensing law, which require passing of the NCCAOM Acupuncture with Point Location, Foundations of Oriental Medicine and Biomedicine examinations as a prerequisite for licensure of Acupuncturists. The wheels are always in motion at the NCCAOM! The scope of work accomplished the NCCAOM Board, committee volunteers and staff is truly a matter of pride. We are committed to ensuring that NCCAOM continues to meet the highest standard of quality from a certification organization. The NCCAOM Board and staff are particularly thankful to all the many talented and committed volunteers who made all these accomplishments possible. Please see the list of all the 2009 Board of Commissioners and Standing Committees in this report. The Board and staff look forward to working together with members of the AOM community to continually strive for excellence and collaborate to meet the new and exciting challenges that the profession will be undertaking in the near future. Tess Hahn, OMD, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM) Chair of the Board of Commissioners Kory Ward-Cook, Ph.D., CAE Chief Executive Officer 3

4 Year in Review, 2009 Highlights ~ January ~ ~ April ~ 1. NCCAOM introduces its newly expanded examination content outlines via the NCCAOM Study Guides. The Acupuncture, Chinese Herbology, and Oriental Medicine Study Guides became effective on January 1, The Study Guides are available via the NCCAOM website. 7. The NCCAOM Certification Brochures, an attractive and professional brochure for each NCCAOM certification program is offered for the first time. These materials are professionally prepared to make a memorable first impression with patients as well as for meetings and presentations. The NCCAOM Certification Brochures are available for a small fee or free as a download via the NCCAOM website. ~ February ~ 2. Practitioner members of the NCCAOM Board of Commissioners are now appointed to the Board by a majority vote of the Board of Commissioners versus being elected to their seat by Diplomates. 7 ~ March ~ 5. A new professional development online marketing course titled, Effective Marketing and Lobbying through Your National Certification - an NCCAOM Online Course is introduced to Diplomates via the NCCAOM website. This informative course helps Diplomates gain the necessary skills to promote their certification and practice as well as how to become more legislative involved to advance the AOM profession. 8. A new policy requiring a 45-day waiting period in order for a candidate to retake an NCCAOM examination became effective. All candidates who need to retake an NCCAOM examination must now wait 45 days from the previous recorded test. ~ May ~ 9. The NCCAOM partners with Acupuncturists Without Borders to promote the benefits of acupuncture treatment for mental health issues faced by soldiers and veterans through the Military Stress Recovery Project (MSRP). 6. NCCAOM offers the Asian Bodywork Examination. 4 ~ June ~ 11. The first bill to regulate acupuncture in the state of Mississippi is signed into law by Governor Haley Barbou. This regulation requires the passing of the Acupuncture and Point Location, Foundations, and Biomedicine NCCAOM examinations as a prerequisite for licensure. ~ July ~ 3. The NCCAOM Consumer Guide to Acupuncture, an informative brochure to promote the practice of AOM is now available for Diplomates to download or order from the NCCAOM website. 4. A new fee structure is implemented for Diplomates renewing their certification and for those who were in lapsed status and wish to become active again. 10. NCCAOM Commissioner Bryn Clark attended and also presented a poster at the International Society for Complementary Medicine Research (ISCMR) Symposium, titled International Collaborations to Enhance the Science of CAM: Past, Present, and Future annual report 12. The NCCAOM collaborates with the American Traditional Chinese Medicine Society (ATCMS), the Council of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Associations (CAOMA); and the United Alliance of the New York State Licensed Acupuncturists (UANYSLA) to garner support for the inclusion of acupuncture and Oriental medicine coverage in the United Stated Health Care Reform Bill. 9

5 ~ September ~ A new study released from National Institute of Health s (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) revealed that the number of visits to acupuncturists and amount of out-ofpocket spending annually for practitioner visits and self care such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong are significantly higher from the previous study released in Please see press release on the NCCAOM website under News You Can Use for additional information. 14. The NCCAOM Lapsed Diplomate Incentive Program is launched. This new policy allows Diplomates who are in lapsed status to take advantage of new requirements to renew their certification allowing them to become active again in a less costly method. Lapsed Diplomates may consult the NCCAOM Recertification Handbook for information on NCCAOM recertification requirements. 17 ~ Throughout 2009 ~ 15. NCCAOM joins seven other national acupuncture and Oriental (AOM) medicine leadership organizations for a historic meeting held in San Francisco, California. The outcome was the creation of the AOM National Organizations Strategic Plan. The collaborative vision statement and strategic goals which were developed collectively by this congregation of AOM leaders are presented in the AOM Strategic Plan. 18. The NCCAOM is pleased to have provided information and testimony to the following states: 16. The NCCAOM participates in Acupuncture Awareness Day at the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) Conference prompting women legislators from around the country to recognize AOM as a viable form of medicine in their district. 19. NCCAOM attended the following events in 2009 to raised awareness of the value of certification and to promote its Diplomates: California Connecticut Delaware Kentucky Massachusetts Michigan Missouri Mississippi New York Ohio Oregon Texas Washington South Dakota Florida Society of Oriental Medicine Conference (FSOMA), Tampa, FL American Association for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Conference (AAAOM), Sacramento, CA 16 National Foundation for Women Legislators Conference, Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico Pacific Symposium, San Diego, California ~ October ~ 17. The NCCAOM officially receives registration of its trademarks from the United States Patent and Trade Office (USPTO). These trademarks to include the NCCAOM logo, tagline, four certification service marks and National Certification and Oriental Medicine acronym must be published or listed with the registered symbol to prevent fraud or misuse. The NCCAOM is in the process of registering its credentials (e.g., Diplomate of Acupuncture), a lengthier process, which should be completed by

6 Board of Commissioners and Standing Committees 2009 Board of Commissioners Tess Hahn, Chair David Canzone, Vice Chair Michael Garland, Treasurer Mike McKeown, Secretary Kory Ward-Cook, CEO Susan Chapman Bryn Clark Weiyi Ding Barbara Esher Denise Hsu Jan Ste Germaine 2009 Standing Committees of the Board Executive Committee Tess Hahn, Chair David Canzone, Vice Chair Michael Garland, Treasurer Mike McKeown, Secretary Kory Ward-Cook, CEO Weiyi Ding, Member-at-Large Finance / Audit Committee Michael Garland, Chair David Canzone Jan Ste Germaine Mike McKeown Governance Documents Committee Mike McKeown, Chair Susan Chapman Bryn Clark Board Development Committee Mike McKeown, Chair Susan Chapman Bryn Clark Weiyi Ding Professional Ethics and Disciplinary Committee Michael Taromina, Chair Scott Cormier Michael Garland Cathy Goldstein Valerie Hobbs Denise Hsu Eligibility Committee Barbra Esher, Chair Daniel Jiao Jan Ste Germaine, Board Liaison Qi Helen Zhang Mary Wu Recertification Committee David Canzone, Chair Mike McKeown Atara Noiade Faye Schenkman Jan Ste Germaine Maryanne Travaglione Research Taskforce Susan Chapman, Chair Bryn Clark Weiyi Ding Council of Examination Committee Chairs Susan Chapman Weiyi Ding Barbra Esher Jan Ste Germaine Cathy Goldstein Tess Hahn Jason Hao Denise Hsu Gene London Kory Ward-Cook Acupuncture and Point Location Exam Development Committee Jason Hao, Chair Denise Hsu, Board Liaison Ruth Dalphin Jonathan Daniel Lawrence Howard Marian Hughes David Myrick Chinese Herbology Exam Development Committee Weiyi Ding, Chair/Board Liaison Yuxin He Anne Jeffres Qing-Yao Shi Foundations of Oriental Medicine Module 2009 Gene London, Chair Jan Ste Germaine, Board Liaison Daniel Jiao Shaozhi Li Xiaohai Li Xiaotian Shen Biomedicine Exam Development Committee Cathy Goldstein, Chair Susan Chapman, Board Liaison Elad Schiff Greg Sperber Dennis Moseman Steven Given Iman Majd Janet Zand Asian Bodywork Therapy Exam Development Committee Barbra Esher, Chair/Board Liaison Michael Casper Rylen Feene Joy McIlvaine Brian Skow Deborah Smith Translation Subcommittee Weiyi Ding, Chair/Board Liaison Denise Hsu Zhen Hu Hong Park Sonny Ko Yoon Kwon Christine Chang Kunhye Golec annual report

7 Certification Activities Certifications by Type held by active diplomates ( )* Current Certifications by Year and Program Year ac ch om abt Total ,622 2, , ,537 2,842 1, , ,120 2,881 1, , ,250 2,846 2, , ,619 2,465 3, , ,262 2,129 3, ,372 *Active Status: Diplomates who recertify every 4 years are considered to be in active status which demonstrates competency maintenance in their profession. Percentage of eligible Diplomates who recertified ( ) 100% 80% ACUPUNCTURE CHINESE HERBOLOGY ORIENTAL MEDICINE** ASIAN BODYWORK THERAPY 60% 40% 20% 0% **Oriental Medicine certification began in 2004 and the first Diplomates of Oriental Medicine recertified in

8 Examination Statistics for 2009 Exam number pass Minimum Maximum Mean Standard Standard of exams rate % Score Score Score Error Deviation Acupuncture with point location All Test Takers School FTTT Other FTTT School RTT Biomedicine All Test Takers School FTTT Other FTTT School RTT Chinese Herbology All Test Takers School FTTT Other FTTT School RTT Foundations of Oriental Medicine All Test Takers School FTTT Other FTTT School RTT Asian Bodywork Therapy All Test Takers School FTTT Other FTTT School RTT School FTTT = First time test takers from accredited ACAOM schools Other FTTT = First time test takers from non-accredited ACAOM schools School RTT = Return test takers from accredited ACAOM schools annual report

9 Financial Activities Statements of Activities & Changes in Net Assets Year Ended December 31, 2009 REVENUES Examination fees $1,686,940 Practice test fees 62,190 Application fees 945,665 Recertification fees 600,145 PDA income 81,675 Michael Garland, Treasurer During 2009 the NCCAOM continued along a path of excellent financial health. Frugal management practices produced a net surplus from operations and our investment income showed a slow but encouraging rebound from the previous year s losses. As a result, the organization finished 2009 with a healthy balance sheet. The number of applicants for certification increased in 2009 compared to 2008 leading to higher revenues from applications and exam administration. The Board of Commissioners appreciates the hard work of the staff to function effectively within the bounds of a constrained budget. This financial performance keeps the NCCAOM able to serve its dual mission of protecting the public and promoting professional quality among AOM practitioners. Publication income 17,904 Administrative fees 92,875 TOTAL REVENUES $3,487,394 EXPENSES Examination administration costs $1,934,089 Recertification costs 312,438 Member services costs 362,849 Total direct costs 2,609,376 Operating revenue net 878,018 General and administrative costs 548,361 CHANGE IN NET ASSETS BEFORE OTHER INCOME $329,657 OTHER INCOME (LOSS) Investment income $141,980 Miscellaneous 4 Michael J. Garland Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee Total other income (loss) 141,984 Change in net assets 471,641 Net assets, beginning of year 3,924,152 NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR $ 4,395,

10 Professional Ethics and Disciplinary Commitee (PEDC) Cases PEDC Cases: A. Misleading/False Information B. Cheating/Examination Irregularity C. Malpractice/Negligence D. Boundary Violations/Unprofessional Conduct E. Fraud F. Unlicensed Activity G. Criminal Conviction H. Fitness to Practice I. Administrative Order from School/Professional Association J. Record Keeping Comparison of PEDC Cases listed above (A J) A B C D E F G H I J annual report

11 Disciplinary Actions NCCAOM reserves the right to take disciplinary action against certified practitioners, including but not limited to (i) ineligibility for certification or recertification; (ii) probation pending completion of specified conditions such as monitoring, counseling, or remedial education; (iii) written reprimand (formal expression of disapproval retained in the Diplomate s file but not publicly announced); (iv)censure (formal expression of disapproval that is publicly announced); (v) suspension of certification for a designated period; or (vi) termination/revocation of certification. In accordance with NCCAOM s disciplinary procedures, the following actions have been taken ending December 31, 2009: LAST NAME FIRST/ MIDDLE nccaom CERTIFICATION # status Caporuscio elizabeth L suspended Chao Liu revoked Chen decheng revoked Chien Calvin 6973 Probation Chien Calvin 6973 Letter of Censure Evans Howard 1191 Voluntary Surrender Frahmand Zalmai suspended Freeman dale Owens 1317 suspended Frey Thomas suspended Grigoryan Gratch Probation Grossberg daniel A Probation Gu ding 5441 suspended Guan Bihong 5972 Voluntary Surrender/Revocation Joo sun ok 1920 Probation Kao Victor C revoked Kim Cheol 2044 revoked Kim Hyunbae Probation Kim Hyunbae Letter of Censure Kim suh Kyung Probation Klatt frank Probation Lee William H Certification Suspended Leibell Jonathan revoked Liao albert Shen-Yen Censure Mai Long Van 4876 suspended Mazurek Bridgette 2798 suspended McCormick Terence 6761 Voluntary Surrender Meeker stephen 2858 emergency Suspension Morefield ronald L Probation Oh dae revoked Oh sun revoked Pan Kangmei 6635 Probation Park Beck Sun revoked Rhee Cheong Man revoked Reynes Phillip 5718 revoked Ripplinger Joseph John suspended Shao Horng-Yuan Probation Son Ka Myung 4915 revoked Stone Kokoro Sensei Craig 5536 revoked Syn samuel S revoked Winter Brooke 4393 suspended Wu Helin Probation Yang Wei/Chen Probation 11

12 National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine 76 S. Laura Street, Suite 1290, Jacksonville, FL U.S.A. phone: fax: