NCCAOM Releases Revised Code of Ethics
Putting patient safety first, the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) has released its newly revised The NCCAOM Code of Ethics. The code ensures that nationally certified acupuncturists and Oriental medicine (AOM) practitioners are following the highest standards of ethics and patient safety.
“NCCAOM is the only organization that provides national certification for acupuncturists and Oriental medicine practitioners,” said Kory Ward-Cook, PhD, MT (ASCP), CAE, chief executive officer of NCCAOM. “While most states require licenses for AOM practitioners, the requirements vary greatly from state to state. Ninety-eight percent of states (45 states) base their state licensing exam on NCCAOM’s test or require full certification as a prerequisite for their state licensing because they recognize us as the Gold Standard.”
The NCCAOM Code of Ethics is being released on the heels of tremendous sweeping changes in American healthcare including the Affordable Care Act, emerging new technologies, and increasing new research and development discoveries.
These changes have lead to greater opportunities for both providers and patients. Within this new health care landscape, providers can treat patients more efficiently and effectively in collaborative settings, often resulting in improved, safer delivery of care.
“But patients are stuck in a vortex of conflicting and confusing data that is often so overwhelming, it leaves them feeling paralyzed—especially at a time when they are sick and not up to sorting through the volume of information floating around the Internet,” Michael Taromina, Esq., co-author of the NCCAOM Code of Ethics and key speaker at the NCCAOM Code of Ethics and Safety Symposium held on January 23, 2016 in Orlando, FL.
According to Taromina, the NCCAOM’s new Code of Ethics is one way AOM nationally certified practitioners can bridge the information gap between patients and practitioners.
“Every acupuncturist and Oriental medicine practitioner that is an NCCAOM Diplomate, must adhere to NCCAOM’s Code of Ethics and that should be comforting to patients,” said Taromina. “When patients seek out a NCCAOM Diplomate they are guaranteed that that practitioner is practicing a rigorous code of conduct and has the most up-to-date education and training.”
According to Ward-Cook, patients seeking acupuncture treatments can rely on NCCAOM to ensure that certified practitioners have met national standards through a stringent certification process and are free from disciplinary actions.
“There are more than 17,000 acupuncturists that are both nationally certified and state licensed,” said Ward-Cook. “When you want to find an AOM practitioners you can trust, go to the NCCAOM website and look for a Diplomate in your area,” said Ward-Cook.
For more information, visit www.nccaom.org.
