PRESS RELEASE: AACMA reminds Australians their members are open for business
Australia: There’s no two ways about it: the struggle over the past several months, while the world and Australia battles coronavirus, has been tough for most industries.
And AACMA wants to remind Australians their members are still open for business.
AACMA (Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association) is Australia’s peak professional organisation for qualified acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. It has taken the lead in providing tailored support for their members so they can navigate these unprecedented times and offer support to their patients and the broader community.
“The AACMA Board and national office are always working towards supporting our members’ wellbeing and welfare,” says AACMA president Waveny Holland, who has put a firm focus on supporting practitioners through these tough times.
AACMA Members Are Here to help
AACMA is keen to remind all Australians that many acupuncture and Chinese medicine practices are still very much open for the business of caring and treating the public.
“As a government-registered allied health profession, we are qualified primary healthcare providers delivering an essential health service and therefore can stay open,” Waveny says.
With a dedicated and updated continuously COVID-19 information page located on the AACMA website, weekly contact with members through Facebook Live Q&A sessions and e-newsletters, and information fact sheets on best and safe practice to combat the spread of COVID-19, the association is working tirelessly to help the Chinese medicine community continue to provide the very best healthcare as the pandemic rages on.
“Every time government guidelines have been updated, our members have been updated with access to all the relevant links on our website,” Waveny explains. “We’ve also provided as much information as possible for members to be able to maintain their practice in some way if they can, including the introduction of telehealth.”
“From an acupuncture point of view, of course, we can’t insert needles in our patients, but we can tell them which points to massage, which foods to eat, or even offer qi gong exercises or yoga postures to relieve specific aches and pains,” shares Waveny, adding that virtual appointments are perfect for herbal medicine consultations with the prescribed herbs being delivered to the patients door.
Of course, good hygiene and infection-control practices that Chinese medicine practitioners already have in place have ramped up to include additional government guidelines since COVID-19 struck, making in-person appointments as safe as possible for both patients and practitioners. Remote consultations via telehealth are a simple, effective way for uneasy (or unwell) clients to receive effective treatment in their own homes safely. AACMA has made moving to telehealth simple by providing plenty of resources to help practitioners successfully navigate this way of practicing, including tips on keeping calls confidential and online payments secure.
How does this filter down to patients?
Like so many industries, Chinese medicine has taken a hit as a result of COVID-19. However, Australians must know the community is still very much alive and caring – and thanks to AACMA’s ongoing support, its members are in the best position to continue offering premium healthcare during and after the pandemic.
Patients can rest easy knowing that when visiting AACMA-accredited practitioners, they are receiving treatment from qualified professionals who have the backing of a nationally recognised peak body that works hard to keep its members informed, educated, and, of course, safe.
Support, togetherness, and compassion are always at the heart of providing world-class healthcare, so as the COVID-19 crisis impacts the globe, the need to band together is ever more critical. AACMA’s commitment to supporting members enables members to continue to support the community, so we all move forward – safely and healthily – together.
Finding a local registered practitioner made easy.
The AACMA has made it easy for you to find a local, registered, Chinese Medicine Acupuncturist through their handy ‘Find a Practitioner’ database.
“We recommend finding a local acupuncturist through our AACMA database,” says Waveny, “we have over 2200 registered members listed all of whom are members of the AACMA, have a minimum 4-year degree in Chinese medicine and are registered with the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia. Therefore you are guaranteed to know you are sourcing the best possible professional who can offer the highest quality treatment and care”.
The AACMA has been representing Chinese medicine professionals for the last 45 years and is considered Australia’s most trusted source for qualified practitioners in the field.
“An AACMA member Acupuncturist will perform a full assessment before providing treatment, and integrate any western medical treatment provided by your doctor.”
The AACAM ‘Find a Practitioner” online database is free and open to the public: https://members.acupuncture.org.au/practitionersearch.
