Introduction to Community Acupuncture

Introduction to Community Acupuncture (CA): The Community Acupuncture Network (CAN) is a nonprofit organization of practitioners, patients, and supporters whose goal is to make acupuncture more affordable and accessible by promoting the practice of offering acupuncture in community settings for a sliding scale payment ranging within $15-40 per treatment. Community acupuncture was started by the founders of the Working Class Acupuncture Clinic located in Portland Oregon.

Co-produced by Moses Cooper & Thomas Gage. Directed by Thomas Gage. http://www.thomasgage.com

For more information on CA or to locate a clinic near you, visit:

http://www.communityacupuncturenetwork.org
http://www.workingclassacupuncture.org

Category:

Education

Tags:

• community
• acupuncture
• CAN
• skateboarding
• extreme
• sport
• pain
• management
• Chinese
• oriental
• medicine
• health
• Moses
• Cooper
• Gage

[haraboy81]

you get what you pay for

[4321mcooper]

If you believe that "you get what you pay for", I would say you get a great deal for your 15 to 40 dollars when you receive treatment at any community acupuncture clinic. Thanks for checking out the video and I hope you get a chance to experience CA for yourself someday.

[BigN33dle]

I am an acupuncturist too from NY. I am beginning my second year of practice and I just learned about this business model. My question is do use moxabustion, electric stimulation, or cupping in your practice? If so, do you chrage extra for these adjunctive techniques along with acupuncture?

[4321mcooper]

I can only speak for the Working Class Acupuncture clinic: We do use e-stim and moxa, though very rarely. We find cupping is both time consuming and not needed when patients have frequent enough acupuncture sessions. We do not have extra charges for the extra therapies.

[4321mcooper]

#1 of 6: Good question! Yes, I do practice acupuncture full time.

I think it is important to understand that community acupuncture (CA) is a high volume/ low cost acupuncture business model. In CA the practitioner has the potential to see around six patients per hour, or around one patient every ten minutes. A first appointment in a CA clinic usually takes around twenty minutes, including assessment of main complaints and placement of acupuncture needles.

[4321mcooper]

#2 of 6: After the needles are placed you simply rest for around one hour or until you are naturally alert and ready to move again.

I think the key to making a reasonable living practicing CA is to see a high volume of patients each workday. I see an average of twenty patients per four hour work shift, five days per week; therefore, I treat an average of one hundred patients per week. Each patient I treat pays between fifteen dollars to thirty five dollars for their treatment.

[blackchallice]

I just went to a community acupuncture place today. Interesting experience. I must say the sliding scale payment is very interesting. It gives more people access to a wonderful treatment that has been backed up with more than 5000 years of history. I wish more complementary medical practitioners would use this model. Simply brilliant ! Keep up the good work.

[hnoss13]

Cool! Too bad this isn't in KY.

[aeb23]

charge less, and more people will come to you?! what a novel concept! keep up the good work! :)

[whitmansspider]

I recently found my way to the WCA (SW location) and experienced acupuncture for the first time. I've been going once or twice a week for about a month now and it's making a difference. I KNOW that I would not have bothered to try acupuncture, let alone continued treatment, were it not for this model. Every person I've encountered, from the two acupuncturists to the various receptionists have been friendly, professional, and just generally awesome. Kudos!

[SchauerOfPower]

Moses was my first acupuncturist. After about 2 years with him and others at WCA, in weekly visits that I can afford, I have seen great results in diminishing anxiety and depression. Acupuncture promotes the state of mind and body that I need to make the right diet, sleep, and exercise choices. When I was under great stress in grad school, then job hunting, WCA helped me get through. Soon I'll be a new dad, and acupuncture will continue to keep me at my best health possible. Great video Moses!

[smoking1212]

some smells funny with this. i though he was gonna say lets get ready 2 rumble.

[Jessiquoi1]

Great video Moses!

[LGatti34]

Having run a community acupuncture clinic for almost a year now, I must thank Moses and the folks at WCA for providing the know-how and sharing their experiences. Our success is directly related to their willingness to share what works. The bottom line is that acupuncture performed frequently is an effective and powerful therapeutic modality for a variety of conditions.

Thanks Moses and WCA.

Larry

[robertlowryjr]

Well haraboy, If you cant afford acu then you ARE getting exactly what you pay for, which is NOTHING.

I used to do reception at a Community Acupuncture Clinic and we routinely had people come over to our clinic from a well known third-generation, Chinese Medical Doctor's clinic who is GREAT but charges $110 per treatment. They actually could afford to come in often enough and got better faster than at the expensive place. You obviously have zero firsthand experience.