California Code of Regulations
Title 16 - Professional and Vocational Regulations
Division 13.7 - Acupuncture
Article 8 - Continuing Education
Section 1399.483 - Approval of Continuing Education Courses

Universal Citation: 16 CA Code of Regs 1399.483

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 12, March 22, 2024

(a) Only a provider may obtain approval to offer continuing education courses.

(b) The content of all courses of continuing education submitted for Board approval shall be relevant to the practice of acupuncture and Asian medicine and shall fall within the following two (2) categories:

(1) Category 1 courses are those courses related to clinical matters or the actual provision of health care to patients. Examples of Category 1 courses include, but are not limited to, the following:
(A) Acupuncture and Asian Medicine.

(B) Western biomedicine and biological sciences.

(C) Scientific or clinical content with a direct bearing on the quality of patient care, community or public health, or preventive medicine.

(D) Courses concerning law and ethics and health facility standards.

(E) Courses designed to develop a licensee's patient education skills, including, but not limited to, patient education in therapeutic exercise techniques, nutritional counseling, and biomechanical education.

(F) Courses designed to enhance a licensee's ability to communicate effectively with other medical practitioners.

(G) Courses in acupuncture's role in individual and public health, such as emergencies and disasters.

(H) Courses in the behavioral sciences, patient counseling, and patient management and motivation when such courses are specifically oriented to the improvement of patient health.

(I) Research and evidence-based medicine as related to acupuncture and Asian medicine.

(2) Category 2 courses are those courses unrelated to clinical matters or the actual provision of health care to patients. Examples of Category 2 courses include, but are not limited to, the following:
(A) Practice management courses unrelated to clinical matters and direct patient care, including, but not limited to, administrative record keeping, laws and regulations unrelated to clinical medicine, insurance billing and coding, and general business organization and management.

(B) Breathing and other exercises, i.e. qi gong and taiji quan that are for the benefit of the licensee and not the patient.

(c) Each provider shall include, for each course offered, a method by which the course participants evaluate the following:

(1) The extent to which the course met its stated objectives.

(2) The adequacy of the instructor's knowledge of the course subject.

(3) The utilization of appropriate teaching methods.

(4) The applicability or usefulness of the course information.

(5) Other relevant comments.

(d) Courses designed to be completed by an individual on an independent or home study basis shall not exceed 50% of the required continuing education hours.

(1) Courses that require practical or hands on techniques may not be approved for independent or home study.

(2) Courses approved for independent or home study shall include a self-assessment by the licensee upon completion of the course that tests the participant's mastery of the course material.

(e) A provider is prohibited from selling, advertising, or promoting any named brand product or service during a course. A provider shall ensure that any discussion of a named product or service is objectively selected and presented with favorable and unfavorable information and balanced discussion of prevailing information on the product, competing products, alternative treatments or services. A provider shall ensure written disclosure to the audience, at the time of the program, of any relationship between any named product(s) or service(s) discussed and the provider or between any such product(s) or service(s) and any individual instructor, presenter, panelist, or moderator. However, a provider may offer for sale products or services after the course has been completed as long as it is made clear to all participants that they are under no obligation whatsoever to stay for the sales presentation or purchase any products. Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted as restricting a provider from discussing generic products during a course.

1. New section filed 9-8-89; operative 10-8-89 (Register 89, No. 37).
2. Repealer and new section filed 4-3-95; operative 5-3-95 (Register 95, No. 14).
3. Amendment of subsection (d) filed 12-31-99; operative 1-30-2000 (Register 99, No. 53).
4. Amendment of section and NOTE filed 8-25-2008; operative 9-24-2008 (Register 2008, No. 35).
5. Change without regulatory effect amending subsections (b), (b)(1)(A), (b)(2)(A)-(B), (d)(2) and (e) and amending NOTE filed 4-22-2022 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2022, No. 16).

Note: Authority cited: Section 4933, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 4945, Business and Professions Code.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. California may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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