A Research Regarding How COVID-19 Impacted the Acupuncturists and Profession was Announced Recently.
60% of Acupuncture Clinics Have Already Reopened in the US
By Namwook Cho L.Ac.
Many were curious about how other people have lived and have operated clinics under the quarantine.
Recently, exciting research “Workforce Survey Results: How Covid19 Impacted the Acupuncture Profession” to answer curiosity was issued.
Lisa Conboy did the research, MA, MA, ScD, who is an instructor in Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, and the research result was presented during a webinar hosted by NCCAOM and ASA on July 1, 2020.
61.4% of acupuncturists said “Yes” for the question, “Did your state or local government mandate or strongly suggested closing your clinic?” and 22.9% answered “No” to the question. 46.2% of the research subjects were open to their clinic during the quarantine period, and 43% were closed.
The good news was the majority of clinics have adequate supplies such as PPE and disinfectant.
Recently, two-third of the research subjects already opened their clinic, and 90% answered “Definitely Yes” for planning on reopening. Most people seemed to reopen clinics between May 31 and June 1.
The quarantine has been extended already for four months. Many acupuncturists might be wonder how the other acupuncturist spent the quarantine period and how the other acupuncturists operated their clinics.
Recently, exciting research “Workforce Survey Results: How Covid19 Impacted the Acupuncture Profession” to answer curiosity was issued.
Lisa Conboy did the research, MA, MA, ScD, who is an instructor in Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, and the research result was presented during a webinar hosted by NCCAOM and ASA on July 1, 2020.
Lisa explained that the goals of the survey were: understand the environment of the US during COVID-19, how are practitioners affected, share strategies with others.
▲ Types of Environment
Most of the research objects operated their clinics as Single practitioner, and the ratio was 56.9% or working in other health professionals, that was 16.8%. 12.8% answered there have been working in a group practice, 3.7% of subjects said there were working in a hospital. One who said they were working in community acupuncture 4.9%. Most of the acupuncturists had multiple sources of income. But it is not clear that they are working in multiple environments or working in different fields of a job as they were practicing.
An interesting answer was, “No income from acupuncture.” Those who answered no income from acupuncture were 1400 (26%) and seemed once they got their acupuncture license but not practicing.
▲ Self-owned or Contractors?
Majority of the subject, which counts as 68.9% were self-owned. The rest of the subjects were working as independent contractors or employees. The research was not clearly indicated which were independent contractors or employees. That only has shown where they were working.
Beside self-owned, most were working as independent contractors or employees in an integrated environment, 13.3%, and group practice 11.1%. Only 1.9% of the subject was working in a hospital, and 3.8% of acupuncturists were in community acupuncture. 10.5% answered, “No income from self-owned or contract work.”
Also, the report added, “many practitioners used multiple business models.”
▲ Types of Practice Tools
The most popular tool for acupuncturists was acupuncture, as anyone can predict. 98.1% answered acupuncture was the practice tool, 67.6% said herbal medicine was a tool, and others, which account for 39.4%, explained such as cupping, bodywork, education, moxibustion, and yoga were tools to practice.
▲ State or Local Government’s Enforcement
There was a survey question, “Did your state or local government mandate or strongly suggested closing your clinic?”. Two-third of answers were “Yes.” And the report added that most states mandated closure.
And there was another survey question regarding operating clinics. The question was, “Did you close your practice even though you could have remained open?” Almost half of the survey objects said “Yes” and the practitioners who closed voluntarily did so for health and safety reasons, acupuncture was not regarded as an essential business, or patients canceled.
During mid of COVID-19 crisis, 60% of the acupuncturists were reopened and accepting the in-person appointment, and most of the practitioners were “Definitely” planning on reopening.
The survey asked questions regarding reopening as “When did you or when will you reopen for in-person appointments?” The majority answered between May 31 to June 1, and May 19, June 14, July 1, was the second most date for reopening.
▲ Most People Used Video Platform for Telemedicine
The survey asked, “What video platform do you use to communicate with patients?” Most people, accounting for 1388 practitioners, used Zoom and second most people who are 637 communicating with patients through Facetime. Number people of using Zoom are more than double than the practitioners using Facetime. The third most used platform was Doxy.me.
▲ Economic Assistance from Government
Many were suffering from economic impact from COVID-19 and applied for the government’s help such as Paycheck Protection Program, PPP, and Economic Injury Disaster Loan, EIDL. Also, practitioners could apply for unemployment benefits.
More than half answered they had filled PPP or EIDL, but only 39.8% of practitioners received grants. For unemployment benefit, 54.5% applied, but unfortunately, only 40.8% have received benefits.
▲ Use of Electronic Health Records (EHR)
Practitioners who said, “I do not use an EHR” account for 66%, and 32.7% of practitioners answered, “I use an HER.”
And practitioners who were using an EHR before COVID-19 were 1579, and 131 practitioners started using EHR during COVID-19. The number who are using an EHR seems to increase.
Inventory Status of PPE and Disinfectants of Clinics
More than 2500 answered, “I have all the supplies I need,” and 1500 said, “I have most of the supplies I need.”
Based on the answers, it seems the majority of clinics were not in short of supplies for treating patients safely under the COVID-19 quarantine.
▲ How Did You Spend Your Time during COVID-19?
It was one of the interesting questions for all.
More than 60% of practitioners spent time with family, exercise, and studying using Webinars. Still, little less than 50% of practitioners were working—another 50% of objects spent time for baking and cooking.
Few but meaningful answers were 9.1% participated in volunteer work.
At the end of the survey, there were actual voices of the practitioners who have been suffering from COVID-19. “I am very optimistic. This pandemic has shown how essential acupuncture is,”, “Very optimistic. Upon reopening, I am back to 80% of capacity, I lost my job as a result of COVID. I am now forced to work on my own, so I am trying to be optimistic, but it is difficult when I have bills to pay.”
