Chapter 360-6 ACUPUNCTURE
The purpose of these Rules is to implement the "Acupuncture Act
of Georgia" ("Act") which authorizes the Composite State Board of Medical
Examiners ("Board") to adopt rules and regulations and perform all acts
necessary in carrying out the program of licensure for Acupuncture and
Auricular Detoxification Therapy. These rules establish the standards for
licensing persons to practice acupuncture and auricular (ear) detoxification
therapy and for the enforcement of such standards through disciplinary action.
These rules are also intended to inform all physicians, other allied health
care professionals, and all persons who desire to become licensed about the Act
and its requirements.
The terms used in these Rules, promulgated pursuant to the Act,
are defined as follows:
| (1) |
"ACAOM"
means the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine which
is a nationally recognized accreditation organization that accredits programs
in acupuncture and oriental medicine. |
| (2) |
"Act" means the Acupuncture Act of
Georgia, O.C.G.A. §§ 43-34-60et
seq. |
| (3) |
"Acupuncture"
means a form of therapy developed from traditional and modern Oriental concepts
for health care that employs Oriental medicine techniques, treatment, and
adjunctive therapies for the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health
and the prevention of disease. |
| (4) |
"Advisory Committee" means the Acupuncture Advisory Committee of the Georgia
Composite Medical Board. |
| (1) |
Each applicant for licensure as an
acupuncturist must meet the requirements listed below.
| (a) |
An affidavit that the applicant is a
United States citizen, a legal permanent resident of the United States, or that
he/she is a qualified alien or non-immigrant under the Federal Immigration and
Nationality Act. If the applicant is not a U.S. citizen, he/she must submit
documentation that will determine his/her qualified alien status. The Board
participates in the DHS-USCIS SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification
for Entitlements or "SAVE") program for the purpose of verifying citizenship
and immigration status information of non-citizens. If the applicant is a
qualified alien or non-immigrant under the Federal Immigration and Nationality
Act, he/she must provide the alien number issued by the Department of Homeland
Security or other federal immigration agency. |
| (b) |
Must be at least 21 years of age and of
good moral character; |
| (c) |
Submit a
completed application required by the Board. Said application shall not be
considered completed until all fees have been paid and all required documents
have been eceived by the Board; |
| (d) |
Must submit three (3) acceptable references: one reference from a licensed
United States physician either MD or DO in the jurisdiction where the applicant
is practicing and who is familiar with the applicant's practice and two
references from practicing acupuncturists familiar with the applicant's
practice. |
| (e) |
Have successfully
completed a degree in acupuncture or a formal course of study and training in
acupuncture. The applicant shall submit documentation satisfactory to the board
to show that such education or course of study and training was:
| 1. |
Completed at a school that is accredited
by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM)
or other accrediting entity approved by the board; or |
| 2. |
Completed by means of a program of
acupuncture study and training that is substantially equivalent to the
acupuncture education offered by an accredited school of acupuncture approved
by the board. |
|
| (f) |
Have
passed an acupuncture examination offered by an organization accredited by the
National Organization of Competency Assurance and approved by the
board; |
| (g) |
Submit proof of
certification in acupuncture by the National Certification Commission for
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine; |
| (h) |
Completed successfully a clean needle
technique course approved by the Board; and |
| (i) |
Submitted proof of having professional
liability insurance of at least $100,000/$300,000.
| 1. |
If the licensee changes liability
carriers, is canceled by a liability carrier, or cancels liability coverage,
the licensee must notify the Board within thirty (30) days of the date of
change or cancellation. |
| 2. |
Failure
to maintain liability coverage, pursuant to the Act, may result in suspension
of the license for acupuncture.
| (i) |
An
applicant must submit all documentation required for the application process
within twelve months from the date the Board receives the
application. |
|
|
|
| (2) |
Every person who holds a license issued
by the Board shall inform the Board of any change of address and any other
change of information, including but not limited to professional liability
coverage, for licensure by this Rule or the Act. |
| (3) |
The titles "Licensed Acupuncturist" and
"Acupuncturist" shall only be used by persons licensed to practice acupuncture
pursuant to the Act and these Rules. |
| (1) |
A person licensed as an acupuncturist
providing services in this state in a hospital, practice setting, nursing home,
assisted living community or personal care home shall communicate the
acupuncturist's specific licensure to all current and prospective patients and
shall wear a clearly legible identification tag during all patient encounters
with the licensee's name and the word "Acupuncturist." |
| (2) |
In all advertising that names a person in
relation to his or her healthcare practice, a person licensed to practice as an
acupuncturist in Georgia shall identify themselves as an
acupuncturist. |
| (3) |
Every person who
is licensed to practice acupuncture pursuant to the Act and these Rules and who
is actively practicing acupuncture or the active practice of auricular (ear)
detoxification therapy as an auricular (ear) detoxification technician shall
display the license issued by the Board in a public and appropriate
manner. |
| (4) |
Any license or document
evidencing licensure issued by the Board is the property of the Board and shall
be surrendered on demand. |
| (1) |
Any person licensed to practice
acupuncture under the Act ("practitioner") who has less than one (1) year of
postgraduate clinical experience may not practice on his or her own unless and
until such person has completed one (1) year of active clinical practice under
the supervision of a duly licensed acupuncturist. The supervising acupuncturist
("supervisor") shall be currently licensed in Georgia and shall have four (4)
years of active licensed clinical experience as an acupuncturist in Georgia or
a combination of four (4) years experience in other states or countries as long
as the other states or countries substantially equal or exceed Georgia's
standards for licensure of acupuncturists. |
| (2) |
The supervision of postgraduate clinical
practice of an acupuncture practitioner shall comply with the following
provisions and guidelines.
| (a) |
Definitions:
| 1. |
"Practitioner" is the person who is being
supervised and monitored by the supervisor while performing acupuncture during
postgraduate clinical practice. |
| 2. |
"Supervisor" is the acupuncturist who meets the qualifications of this rule and
the applicable statute who is responsible for the supervision of the
practitioner during supervised postgraduate clinical practice. |
| 3. |
"Supervised postgraduate clinical
practice" is the practice of acupuncture performed by a practitioner under the
direct supervision of an approved acupuncturist in facilities approved by the
Georgia Composite Medical Board ("Board"), in consultation with the Acupuncture
Advisory Committee ("Advisory Committee"), pursuant to the provisions of
O.C.G.A. § 43-34-64(c) and
this rule. |
|
| (b) |
Supervisor: A supervisor shall be approved to supervise a practitioner by the
Board, in consultation with the Advisory Committee. The supervisor must be
licensed in Georgia as an acupuncturist and actively practicing in this state.
The supervisor shall have no less than four (4) years of active licensed
clinical experience as an acupuncturist. The four (4) years of active licensed
clinical experience may be four (4) combined years of active licensed practice
in Georgia or in other states or countries as long the standards for licensure
of acupuncturists in said states or countries are substantially equivalent to
or exceed the standards of licensure in Georgia. |
| (c) |
Supervision: The supervisor and
practitioner who are engaged in supervised post clinical practice shall adhere
to the following guidelines:
| 1. |
Plan of
supervision:
| (i) |
The supervisor shall submit a
letter of intent and a written outlined plan of supervision to the Board, which
shall be reviewed and approved by the Board, in consultation with the Advisory
Committee, before supervised practice is begun. |
| (ii) |
The supervisor must be present on site
and available at all times while the practitioner is seeing and treating
patients. The practitioner shall practice in the same office with the
supervisor. |
| (iii) |
A supervisor may
not enter into a plan of supervision with more than two practitioners at a
time. |
|
| 2. |
Monitoring: The
supervisor shall monitor no less than one (1) supervised patient treatment
performed by the practitioner no less than every other week or bi-weekly.
Monitoring shall include case review, supervision of safety procedures, clean
needle technique, and assessment of professionalism of the
practitioner. |
| 3. |
Records:
| (i) |
Patient treatment records: The supervisor
shall keep written records of the supervised patient treatments by the
practitioner and shall submit a summary of the patient treatment records along
with quarterly reports to the Board for its review, in consultation with the
Advisory Committee. The records shall include any information relevant to
patient treatment that is included in the monitoring by the supervisor of the
practitioner. |
| (ii) |
Practice
records:
| I. |
For supervisory purposes, practice
is defined as performing a minimum of 500 acupuncture treatments on at least
100 different patients during a one (1) year or twelve (12) months supervised
clinical period. Substance abuse or detoxification treatments are not
acupuncture treatments for the purposes of supervised postgraduate clinical
acupuncture practice. |
| II. |
Full and
complete records with all relevant and supportive documentation are to be kept
at the site of treatment at all times and made available to the Board for
review and inspection. Records shall include, but not be limited to,
appointment schedules, patient records, treatment records, receipts, and data
pertaining to invoice and payment for acupuncture treatment. |
|
|
| 4. |
Reports:
| (i) |
Quarterly reports: Quarterly reports
shall be submitted to the Board by the supervisor and shall include the
performance, progress and understanding of basic skills of the practitioner.
The report shall also include the number of patients that the practitioner has
seen per month and the number of acupuncture treatments provided by the
practitioner. Quarterly reports shall be filed with the Board and are due
three, six, nine, and twelve months after provisional licensure issue
date. |
| (ii) |
Final supervisory
report: At the end of the probationary period, a final review from the
supervisor shall be submitted about the practitioner's progress with a
recommendation to the Board regarding fitness of the practitioner to practice
acupuncture as a solo practitioner. The report shall be reviewed by the
Advisory Committee and a recommendation made by the Advisory Committee
concerning Board action. |
|
|
| (d) |
Provisions regarding supervised practice
may also be used as guidelines for restrictions placed upon the practice of
acupuncture by persons licensed by the Board as authorized by
statute. |
| (e) |
Failure to adhere to
guidelines regarding supervised postgraduate clinical practice may result in
sanctions, restrictions, or disciplinary actions upon licensees by the
Board. |
|
| (1) |
Each applicant
for a license to perform auricular (ear) detoxification therapy as an auricular
(ear) detoxification technician must meet the requirements listed below. If an
applicant does not meet all requirements for licensure stated in this Rule, the
Board may, in its discretion, grant a license to an applicant upon the
recommendation of the Advisory Committee.
| (a) |
Be at least 21 years of age and of good moral character; |
| (b) |
Submit a completed application as
required by the Board; |
| (c) |
Submit
an application fee as required by the Board; |
| (d) |
Have successfully completed a nationally
recognized training program in auricular (ear) detoxification therapy for the
treatment of chemical dependence as approved by the Board; and |
| (e) |
Have successfully completed a nationally
recognized clean needle technique course approved by the Board. |
| (f) |
Submit verification of applicant's
coverage by employer's professional liability insurance. |
| (g) |
An applicant must satisfactorily complete
all requirements for licensure within one year from the date the Board receives
the application. |
|
| (2) |
The
practice of auricular (ear) detoxification therapy may take place only in a
city, county, state, federal or private chemical dependency program approved by
the Board and under the direct supervision of a licensed acupuncturist or a
person licensed to practice acupuncture by the Board who is also authorized to
practice medicine in the State of Georgia. |
| (3) |
The title "Auricular Detoxification
Technician (ADT)" may only be used by persons licensed pursuant to the Act and
these rules who practice auricular (ear) detoxification therapy. Licensure as
an ADT does not by itself entitle a person to use the title "Acupuncturist" or
"Licensed Acupuncturist." |
| (4) |
Every
person who holds a license issued by the Board shall inform the Board of any
change of address or any other change of information, including but not limited
to a change of employment, required for licensure pursuant to the Act and these
Rules. |
| (5) |
A license for an
Auricular Detoxification Technician (ADT) is limited to and only valid for the
employer designated at time of licensure. The ADT licensee shall be covered by
the professional liability insurance of the licensee's employer.
| (a) |
If an ADT licensee changes employers, the
licensee must file a "Request To Change Employers" form with the Board and must
receive permission from the Board to change employers. |
| (b) |
If an ADT licensee terminates employment
with the designated employer, the ADT license becomes automatically inactive
until such time a new application is made. |
|
| (6) |
Every person who holds a license issued
by the Board as an Auricular Detoxification Technician must wear an
identification badge stating their name and title at all times while rendering
therapy. |
| (1) |
Every person
who is licensed to practice auricular (ear) detoxification therapy pursuant to
the Act and these Rules and who is actively practicing auricular (ear)
detoxification therapy shall display the license issued by the Board in a
public and appropriate manner. |
| (2) |
Any license or document evidencing licensure issued by the Board is the
property of the Board and shall be surrendered on demand. |
| (1) |
No person shall:
| (a) |
Practice acupuncture or
auricular detoxification therapy in Georgia without a license; or |
| (b) |
Represent himself or herself to be an
Acupuncturist or Auricular Detoxification Technician if he or she is not
licensed under the Act. |
|
| (2) |
The following persons are exempt from
licensure by the Board to practice acupuncture or auricular detoxification
therapy in Georgia:
| (a) |
Students who practice
acupuncture as an integral part of a program of study and who are enrolled in a
Board-approved acupuncture education program under the direct clinical
supervision of a licensed acupuncturist with at least five years of clinical
experience; or |
| (b) |
Persons who are
licensed or certified to perform acupuncture in any other jurisdiction where
such persons are doing so in the course of regular instruction in a
Board-approved educational program of acupuncture or in an educational seminar
of a Board-approved professional organization of acupuncture; provided that in
the latter case, the practice is supervised directly by a person licensed to
practice acupuncture pursuant to the Act or an acupuncturist who is licensed to
practice medicine under Georgia law. |
|
Licensed physicians desiring to practice acupuncture in Georgia
shall successfully complete a Board-approved 300 hour course and notify the
Board in writing of their intent to practice acupuncture no less than thirty
(30) days prior to incorporating such therapies into their medical practice.
Physicians authorized by the Board to perform acupuncture are entitled to the
same rights and privileges as those licensed to practice acupuncture and
auricular detoxification therapy.
| (1) |
The intention
and policy of the Board is to reflect the cultural diversity of the citizens of
Georgia in the composition of the Acupuncture Advisory Committee ("Advisory
Committee"). The Advisory Committee shall be comprised as follows:
| (a) |
At least four (4) appointees, including
one (1) individual who may be a lay person or a licensed acupuncturist, three
(3) individuals who are licensed acupuncturists and representative of the
acupuncture profession and other such individuals as the Board, in its
discretion, may determine.
| 1. |
At time of
appointment by the Board, such individuals shall be licensed to practice
acupuncture; |
| 2. |
All appointees to
the Advisory Committee shall have on file with the Executive Director of the
Board, or his/her designee, a resume and three (3) letters of recommendation,
(one of which may be from a physician familiar with the appointee's practice of
acupuncture); |
| 3. |
In order to
preserve continuity on the Advisory Committee, two (2) appointees shall serve a
two year term and two (2) appointees shall serve a one year term which will be
considered a partial term. At the time of appointment, each appointee will be
notified in writing by the Executive Director of the Board as to the beginning
and ending dates of their respective appointment terms. Each may reapply to the
full Board to serve an additional term, but may not serve more than two
consecutive terms; |
| 4. |
In the event
an Advisory Committee member is replaced during a term, the replacement member
will serve the remaining time of that term as a partial term. An Advisory
Committee member who serves a partial term will, after the completion of the
partial term, be eligible to serve two consecutive two-year terms; |
| 5. |
Appointees shall serve without
compensation from the State of Georgia for their time and expenses; |
|
| (b) |
One (1) individual who is a
licensed physician and who practices or teaches acupuncture who:
| 1. |
Shall serve a two year term and may be
reappointed for an additional two year term by a majority vote of the Board,
but may not serve more than two consecutive terms; and |
| 2. |
Shall serve without compensation for time
and expenses from the State of Georgia; and |
|
|
| (2) |
The Advisory Committee shall advise the
Board on matters pertaining to the appointment of the Advisory Committee
members and on all matters within the purview of the Act. The Board, in
consultation with the Advisory Committee, shall:
| (a) |
Determine the qualifications and fitness
of applicants for licensure and renewal of licensure; |
| (b) |
Adopt and revise rules consistent with
the laws of the State of Georgia that are necessary to conduct its duties and
administer the Act; and |
| (c) |
Examine, approve, issue, deny, revoke, suspend and renew the license of
applicants and licensees and conduct hearings in connection with all duties to
be performed pursuant to the Act. |
|
| (3) |
Advisory Committee members, who are not
members of the Board, must be available to meet on an as needed basis and may
not miss more than three (3) consecutive meetings of the Advisory Committee, or
four (4) meetings in a calendar year, without an excused absence from either
the Executive Director of the Board or the Board President.
| (a) |
The Advisory Committee may recommend to
the Board the removal of a member for violation of the attendance rule. Such a
recommendation shall be by majority vote of the Advisory Committee. |
| (b) |
Upon receipt of a recommendation for
removal, the Board may remove a member of the Advisory Committee by a majority
vote. |
|
| (4) |
Advisory
Committee vacancies may be filled by the Board upon recommendation from the
Advisory Committee by advertising on the Board's web page or by any other
appropriate means. All applicants must meet any deadline set by the Board and
shall have on file with the Executive Director of the Board, or with his/her
designee, a resume and three (3) letters of recommendation (one of which may be
from a physician familiar with the applicant's practice of
acupuncture). |
| (1) |
All licenses issued pursuant to the Act shall be renewed on a biennial basis.
The license will expire on the last day of the month in which the applicant's
birthday falls. |
| (2) |
Failure to
renew a license by the expiration date shall result in a penalty for late
renewal as required by the Board. |
| (3) |
Licenses not renewed within three (3)
months of expiration shall be administratively revoked for failure to renew and
shall be posted to the public and posted on the Board's website. |
| (4) |
Notwithstanding the provisions of
paragraph (3) of this Rule, any service member as defined in O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1 whose license expired
while serving on active duty outside the state shall be permitted to practice
in accordance with the expired license and shall not be charged with a
violation relating to such practice on an expired license for a period of six
(6) months from the date of his or her discharge from active duty or
reassignment to a location within the state. Such service member shall be
entitled to renew such expired license without penalty within six (6) months
after the date of his or her discharge from active duty or reassignment to a
location within this state. The service member must present to the Board a copy
of the official military orders or written verification signed by the service
member's commanding officer to waive any charges. |
| (5) |
To be eligible for renewal, a licensee
must furnish satisfactory evidence of having met 40 hours of Board approved
continuing education requirements, including a minimum of one hour concerning
infectious disease. |
| (6) |
Licensees
must certify on the renewal form that they have read, understand and are
familiar with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines
for preventing the transmission of the Human Immuno-deficiency virus, Ebola,
Hepatitis B and C and other infectious diseases. |
| (7) |
Licensees are subject to audit to
determine compliance with the continuing education requirements as stipulated
in rules promulgated by the Board. |
| (8) |
Failure to maintain continuing education
requirements is a basis for non-renewal and revocation of license issued
pursuant to the Act. |
| (9) |
All
renewal applicants must provide an affidavit and a secure and verifiable
document in accordance with O.C.G.A. 50-36-1(f). If the applicant has
previously provided a secure and verifiable document and affidavit of United
States citizenship, no additional documentation of citizenship is required for
renewal. If the applicant for renewal is not a United States citizen, he/she
must submit documentation that will determine his/her qualified alien status.
The Board participates in the DHS-USCIS SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for
Entitlements or "SAVE") program for purpose of verifying citizenship and
immigration status information of non-U.S. citizens. If the applicant for
renewal is a qualified alien or non-immigrant under the Federal Immigration and
Nationality Act, he/she must provide the alien number issued by the Department
of Homeland Security or other federal agency. |
| (1) |
The practice of acupuncture and auricular (ear) detoxification is found to
affect the public health, safety and welfare and is a proper subject of
regulation. |
| (2) |
As acupuncture and
auricular (ear) detoxification are prolonged invasive procedures of the human
skin utilizing sharp instruments, all necessary precautions should be taken for
the prevention of the transmission of the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus, (the
virus known to cause Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), Hepatitis B and C
and other infectious diseases. Persons licensed under this Act and those exempt
individuals practicing acupuncture should take all measures to conform to the
most current recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) for preventing transmission of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus, Hepatitis B
and C and other infectious diseases to patients during prolonged invasive
procedures that are contained in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
1991; 40 (No. RR-8) pages 1-9. It is the responsibility of all persons
currently licensed by the Board to maintain familiarity with these
recommendations, which are considered by the Board to be the minimum standards
of acceptable and prevailing medical practice. Failing to meet these minimum
standards will be considered by the Board to be unprofessional conduct and
subject to review and disciplinary action by the Board. |
| (3) |
Disposable acupuncture needles are
considered a biohazard waste material and must be disposed of in accordance
with all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations. To further
ensure the public health and safety of the citizens of Georgia, persons
licensed under this Act and exempt individuals practicing acupuncture must keep
accurate medical and office records that reflect the following detailed
information:
| (a) |
Invoices for the purchase of
disposable needles; and |
| (b) |
Documentive disposal of all needles and method of disposal. |
|
| (4) |
Records pertaining to needle
purchase and needle disposal must be kept for a period of no less than five (5)
years and are to be surrendered to the Board, when requested in writing by an
authorized representative of the Board or requested by an agent of the Board,
in reference to a complaint, allegation and/or investigation of the
Board. |
| (5) |
All licensees licensed
pursuant to this Act must file a notarized document, devised and approved by
the Board, acknowledging that they have read, understand and are familiar with
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for preventing
the transmission of the Human Immuno-deficiency virus, Hepatitis B and C and
other infectious diseases. This document must be filed with the Board at the
time of application and at each renewal cycle. |
Temporary permits for the license of acupuncturists and
auricular (ear) detoxification technicians may be issued by the
Board.
As stated in O.C.G.A. 43-9-16 and as amended by Section 1.1 of
the Act, chiropractors who wish to practice acupuncture must meet the licensing
requirements of the Act and the acupuncture rules promulgated by the Board.
Chiropractor applicants must be licensed to practice as a chiropractor in the
State of Georgia, have an active chiropractic license and be in good standing
with the Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners. In compliance with the intent
of the Georgia General Assembly, nothing in these rules shall be construed to
prohibit a chiropractor who is licensed under Article 3 to perform acupuncture
in Georgia from engaging in the practice of acupuncture. The Georgia Composite
Medical Board, and no other examining board, shall have sole, exclusive and
original jurisdiction over such chiropractors who have been granted a license
to practice acupuncture in this State for the purpose of establishing standards
for licensure of acupuncturists and for the enforcement of such standards of
acupuncture through disciplinary action.
| (1) |
No person licensed under this Act may hold himself or herself out as licensed
to practice medicine in the State of Georgia unless he or she is licensed by
the Board to practice medicine. |
| (2) |
No person may advertise or hold himself out to the public as being a "Licensed
Acupuncturist" or a licensed "Auricular Detoxification Technician" unless the
person is licensed under this Act or otherwise exempt by law from
licensure. |
| (1) |
Any person who undergoes acupuncture must
consent in writing prior to such a procedure and shall be informed in general
terms of the following:
| (a) |
That an
acupuncturist is not licensed to practice medicine in the State of
Georgia; |
| (b) |
That an acupuncturist
cannot practice medicine in the State of Georgia; |
| (c) |
That the acupuncturist is not making a
medical diagnosis of the person's disease or medical condition; |
| (d) |
That, if the person wants to obtain a
medical diagnosis, the person should see a licensed physician and seek medical
advise from a licensed physician; and |
| (e) |
The nature and purpose of the acupuncture
treatment being rendered. |
|
| (2) |
Any person who undergoes auricular (ear)
detoxification must consent in writing prior to such a procedure and shall be
informed in general terms of the following:
| (a) |
That an Auricular (ear) Detoxification
Technician is not licensed to practice medicine in the State of
Georgia; |
| (b) |
That an Auricular
(ear) Detoxification Technician cannot practice medicine in the State of
Georgia; |
| (c) |
That an Auricular
(ear) Detoxification Technician is not licensed to practice acupuncture in the
State of Georgia; |
| (d) |
That an
Auricular (ear) Detoxification Technician is not making a diagnosis of the
person's disease or medical condition; |
| (e) |
That, if the person wants to obtain a
medical diagnosis, the person should see a licensed physician and seek medical
advice from a licensed physician; and |
| (f) |
The nature and purpose of the auricular
(ear) detoxification therapy procedure being rendered. |
| (g) |
An Auricular (ear) Detoxification
Technician is strictly limited to five ear points' treatment for detoxification
for substance abuse, chemical dependency, or both. |
| (h) |
Persons licensed to practice acupuncture
or auricular (ear) detoxification must use a Board approved, standardized
"informed consent" form for each person treated. The form shall be signed and
dated by both practitioner and patient prior to the rendering of
services. |
|
The Board, in consultation with the Advisory Committee,
may:
| (1) |
Impose any sanction
authorized under subsection (d) of O.C.G.A. 43-1-19 upon a finding of any
conduct specified in subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. 43-1-19; or |
| (2) |
Make a finding that such conduct involved
dividing or agreeing to divide a fee for acupuncture services with any person
who refers a patient. |
| (1) |
A person who wishes to maintain his or her Acupuncturist license, but who does
not intend to practice Acupuncture, may apply to the Board for inactive status
by submitting an application and the fee.
| (a) |
An individual with an inactive license may not practice as an Acupuncturist in
this State. |
| (b) |
In order to
reinstate an Acupuncturist license, the Board must receive a completed
application and reinstatement fee. The applicant must be able to demonstrate to
the satisfaction of the Board that he or she has maintained current knowledge,
skill and proficiency in Acupuncture and that he or she is mentally and
physically able to practice with reasonable skill and safety. |
|
| (2) |
A person who wishes to
maintain his or her Auricular Detoxification Technician license, but who does
not intend to practice auricular detoxification therapy, may apply to the Board
for inactive status by submitting an application and the fee.
| (a) |
An individual with an inactive license
may not practice as an Auricular Detoxification Technician in this
State. |
| (b) |
In order to reinstate a
license to practice as an Auricular Detoxification Technician, the Board must
receive a completed application and a reinstatement fee. The applicant must be
able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board that he or she has
maintained current knowledge, skill and proficiency in Auricular Detoxification
Therapy and that he or she is mentally and physically able to practice with
reasonable skill and safety. |
|
| (3) |
Reinstatement of the license is within
the discretion of the Board. |
