Notes From A Student
Posted January 11th, 2008 by Skip
Kevin Wrathall is a 3rd year OCOM student. Earlier this week he attended a lecture by Frank Gemmato and what follows are his notes that he asked Cortney Barber to ask me to post. The CA practitioner that Frank mentions that he sees is Sarah Baden. Here goes:
Earlier this week, OCOM hosted a “strategies for building the practice of your dreams” talk from Frank Gemmato, a long time practitioner in the Portland area. He made some comments that seem encouraging to CAN-land, particularly in showing the relevancy of the CAN message.
For background, Frank has practiced for 20+ years and currently has a private clinic setup within a hospital. He does the majority of billing through insurance and does a net income in six figures.
Points that I found interesting:
· He recommends WCA and Lisa as one of his three most important sources of information for starting a practice (sorry Skip!). He specifically quoted twice from The Remedy.
· Seeing one patient an hour is a “recipe for bankruptcy.” 3-4 an hour is required for any financial success.
· TCM does not work for acupuncture, only for herbs. He moved to Tan style several years ago and never does local points anymore.
· He had investigated the CA model but didn’t think it would make enough income for him. He currently averages $40 per patient visit, gross.
· He prefers going to a CA practice to receive acupuncture, which he tries to do regularly.
I found his talk significant not for any of this “new” information but that it came out at OCOM, from a “main stream” practitioner talking within the professional development venue. The room was packed with at least 80 students! The head of professional development, who typically advocates BA style, had sought out Frank because of his success. While some students griped that the talk did not often enough specifics, others really appreciated the honesty and simplicity in his message.
From within the BA and TCM academic fortress, I see the CA barbarians not just banging at the gate, but also breaking down the walls. We are getting really excited for an OCOM class that WCA will offer this spring on CA.
Re: Notes From A Student
ehh- hemm
umm
acupuncturists do acupuncture
The guy referenced at the beginning of this section is just being syncretic.
actually we are all syncretes as acupuncturists at least
nice kudos WCA and CAN,
jimmyjabs
Re: Notes From A Student
Kathy,
I was referring to the statement above:
· TCM does not work for acupuncture, only for herbs. He moved to Tan style several years ago and never does local points anymore.
What does this mean? Traditional Chinese Medicine doesn't work for acupuncture? Is this not like saying baseball bats don't work well with baseballs? Or Kansas is not a United State?
This spurs a new thread separate from this one... and should probably be bumped. A thread: What is TCM to us in America, and what is it to a Chinese?
The reason for the TCM doesn't=Zang-fu Dx comment was in reference to the above statement. It has been my observation in taking almost all of Dr. Tan's classes that many attendee's start to think that meridian dx is new to acupuncture, when that is the furthest thing from the truth. Often, I hear conversations of how TCM style doesn't work for acupuncture...ugh!? I think this is from the mistaken correlation that "TCM acupuncture uses Zang-fu for its dx. method.
And the heavily taught Zang-fu dx is meant for Internal medicine... problems with the 5 Zang and 6 Fu. When you start mixing up all the different dx methods such as these and 8 Principle, 4 Level, 6 Stage, etc. and take them out of context of their modality, your not guaranteed the best results.
Ben
Re: Notes From A Student
Ben, would you clarify the following:
"I think this is just the general labeling ignorance of our profession right now…"
"TCM acupuncture doesn't mean Zang-fu dx acupuncture!!"
Re: Notes From A Student
In all fairness to Mr. Gemmato, we don't know his reasons for running HIS practice the way he does. $40 is his average gross / patient apparently... we don't know from this post that it is the minimum he charges patients. And we don't know his limitations as a practitioner to how much income he needs for his family and life.
All of us have different needs and abilities to run a business. We all have to find the way that fits us best to follow our own Way... and this may have nothing to do with the fact that we may prefer a lower cost option for healthcare.
I totally disagree with the idea that "TCM" doesn't work for acupuncture. I think this is just the general labeling ignorance of our profession right now... what does this statement really mean?
I agree that it doesn't make much sense to use a Zang-fu Dx to come up with a point rx., and I know many a Chinese doc that agree. But Chinese acupuncture definitely WORKS! And Local Pts. work!! especially when the practitioner knows how to needle well and apply appropriate needle techniques. TCM acupuncture doesn't mean Zang-fu dx acupuncture!!... know matter how bad we are taught acupuncture here in the US!
Tapping a needle over the area and not doing anything with it is no different than what a lot of MD's are doing with acupuncture!!
Ok... time to get off my soapbox...
all good medicine,
Ben
Re: Notes From A Student
maybe he pays $40? otherwise i think it's not irony, but i believe the term is greed. it's not a neutral, choice that's for sure...
Re: Notes From A Student
I find it ironic that he will not charge less than $40 per treatment but that he prefers to go to a CA clinic for his own treatments!