Acupuncturists or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioners in the state of Washington shall provide to each patient prior to or at the time of the initial patient visit the qualifications and scope of practice form. The form must include:
(1) The acupuncturist's or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner's education. The degree obtained and the dates and locations of the didactic and clinical training.
(2) License information, including state license number and date of licensure.
(3) A statement that the practice of acupuncture or acupuncture and Eastern medicine in the state of Washington includes the following:
(a) Acupuncture and Eastern medicine means a health care service utilizing acupuncture and Eastern medicine therapeutic treatments, such as the practice of acupuncture techniques and herbal medicine to maintain and promote wellness, prevent, manage, and reduce pain, and treat substance use disorder;
(b) Use of presterilized, disposable needles, such as filiform needles, and other acupuncture needles, syringes, or lancets to directly and indirectly stimulate meridians and acupuncture points including ashi points, motor points, trigger points, and other nonspecific points throughout the body;
(c) Use of electrical, mechanical, or magnetic devices to stimulate meridians and acupuncture points including ashi points, motor points, trigger points, and other nonspecific points throughout the body;
(d) Intramuscular needling and dry needling of trigger points and other nonspecific points throughout the body in accordance with acupuncture and Eastern medicine training;
(e) All points and protocols for ear acupuncture including auricular acupuncture, national acupuncture detoxification association protocol, battlefield acupuncture, and the Nogier system;
(f) Use of contact needling and noninsertion tools such as teishin, enshin, or zanshin;
(g) Moxibustion;
(h) Acupressure;
(i) Cupping;
(j) Dermal friction technique;
(k) Infrared;
(l) Sonopuncture;
(m) Laserpuncture;
(n) For the purposes of this section, point injection therapy is defined as meaning the subcutaneous, intramuscular and intradermal injection of substances consistent with the practice of acupuncture or Eastern medicine to stimulate meridians, acupuncture points, ashi points, motor points, trigger points, and other nonspecific points throughout the body.
(i) Point injection therapy includes trigger points as a subset of acupuncture points and ashi points as recognized in the current practice of acupuncture and Eastern medicine.
(ii) Point injection therapy does not include injection of controlled substances contained in Scheduled I through V of the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, chapter
69.50 RCW or steroids as defined in RCW
69.41.300.
(iii) Substances that may be injected are limited to:
(A) Saline;
(B) Sterile water;
(C) Herbs specifically manufactured for injection by means of hypodermic needles;
(D) Minerals specifically manufactured for injection by means of hypodermic needles;
(E) Vitamins in liquid form specifically manufactured for injection by means of hypodermic needles;
(F) Homeopathic and nutritional substances specifically manufactured for injection by means of hypodermic needles;
(G) Local anesthetics, such as lidocaine and procaine, for reduction of pain during point injection therapy, consistent with the practice of acupuncture and Eastern medicine; and
(H) Oxygen and epinephrine for potential emergency purposes, such as an allergic or adverse reaction, for patient care and safety, and may only be administered by an acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner using point injection therapy who has met the training and education requirements established pursuant to RCW
18.06.230.
(o) Dietary advice and health education based on acupuncture or Eastern medical theory, including the recommendation and sale of herbs, vitamins, minerals, and dietary and nutritional supplements;
(p) Breathing, relaxation, and Eastern exercise techniques;
(q) Qi gong;
(r) Eastern massage and Tui na (which is a method of Eastern bodywork); and
(s) Superficial heat and cold therapies.
(4) A statement that side effects of the treatments listed in subsection (3) of this section may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) Pain following treatment;
(b) Minor bruising;
(c) Infection;
(d) Needle sickness; and
(e) Broken needle.
(5) A statement that patients must inform the acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner if they have a severe bleeding disorder or pacemaker prior to any treatment.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
18.06.160,
18.06.230, chapter
18.06 RCW, 2021 c 87, and 2020 c 80. WSR 22-12-018, § 246-803-300, filed 5/23/22, effective 7/1/22. Statutory Authority: RCW
18.06.160, chapter
18.06 RCW, 2019 c 308, 2020 c 229 and 2020 c 76. WSR 21-09-008, § 246-803-300, filed 4/8/21, effective 5/9/21. Statutory Authority: RCW
18.06.160. WSR 20-03-112, § 246-803-300, filed 1/15/20, effective 2/15/20. Statutory Authority: Chapter
18.06 RCW and 2010 c 286. WSR 11-17-105, § 246-803-300, filed 8/22/11, effective 9/22/11.]
