Your role as an acupuncturist can be fulfilling and challenging in equal measure. Offering alternative and effective treatment to people experiencing chronic pain and other devastating conditions is highly rewarding. However, due to the strict regulations that acupuncturists must adhere to in service delivery, you are constantly at risk of professional complaints and allegations. These put your career and livelihood at risk.
You can act quickly and change the outcome of your case if you face an investigation, a letter of reprimand, or a citation against your acupuncturist license in Los Angeles. A skilled license defense attorney can help you understand your legal situation, explore your options, and put up a solid defense against the allegations. You have a higher chance of defeating your charges with an attorney.
We offer quality and timely license defense services at the Law Office of Sara L. Caplan. We can fight on your behalf against any accusations that are putting your acupuncturist license at risk. Our deep understanding of the law and legal processes gives us an advantage in fighting for a favorable outcome for your situation.
Your Crucial Service as a Modern Acupuncturist
Modern medicine has come a long way in ensuring people find solutions and treatments for all illnesses and medical conditions. However, it comes with several risk factors, prompting people to seek alternative treatments. For example, modern medication does not permanently alleviate pain and discomfort. It could be costly and could cause dependence on prescription medicine. Alternative treatments like acupuncture are excellent options for people who prefer alternative treatments to modern medicine. Acupuncturists use thin needles in strategic locations in the body to relieve tension and manage pain and discomfort. They mainly treat pain, help manage stress, and improve their patients’ general well-being.
Acupuncture was originally a part of Chinese traditional medicine. However, its popularity continues to grow widely due to its effectiveness in managing some conditions that affect thousands of people in America. Acupuncturists have been around for many years. Today, they continue to help people with chronic and painful conditions. For example, people seek the services of an acupuncturist when experiencing migraines, back pain, asthma, and arthritis. Thus, your expertise is invaluable. In addition to helping people manage chronic and painful conditions, you also help them through rehabilitation and coping with long-term conditions.
Additionally, people seek the help of acupuncturists to understand how best to improve their health and general wellness. This requires extensive skills and competence to give advice and guidance on nutrition, workouts, stress management, and anything else to help a person enjoy a better quality of life.
You need extensive training to serve your patients better as an acupuncturist. The Department of Consumer Affairs Acupuncture Board in California does not make it easier for acupuncturists to acquire a license. You must possess the right skills, experience, and attitude to serve patients in the state. The board also considers your reputation and ability to adhere to set guidelines. Hence, an unadorned accusation can threaten your career and livelihood.
When the board receives a complaint against you from a patient, the patient's family member, employer, colleague, or anyone else, an investigation is initiated immediately. The board can suspend your professional license pending the investigation. The outcome of such an investigation is also uncertain, as it can result in the revocation or suspension of your professional license. It helps to work closely with an experienced license defense attorney to create a solid fight that will result in a favorable outcome for your situation.
The Department of Consumer Affairs is usually only interested in consumer welfare and public safety. The board can take immediate action against you even if the allegations you face are misleading or false. You could also make a genuine mistake, even with the proper training and experience. However, you still deserve a second chance. An experienced license defense attorney can use the best defense strategies to compel the board to dismiss your charges or rule fairly in your case.
Complaints and Allegations That Could Trigger An Action By The Acupuncture Board
The Acupuncture Board’s mission is not for acupuncturists. Although it is the licensing board for qualified acupuncturists, its primary mission is to serve the public. The board protects members of the public against substandard and unsafe services. Thus, it takes any allegations and complaints it receives against licensed acupuncturists seriously, including unreasonable and false allegations. The board can overlook crucial evidence and some mitigating factors in your case. But you can work with a competent attorney to fight for the best interests of your career.
Examples of complaints the Acupuncture Board receives that could prompt an investigation and stern action against professional acupuncturists include these:
- Drug and substance abuse, especially when done while an acupuncturist is on duty
- Ordinary, gross negligence, or incompetence in the performance of your responsibilities as an acupuncturist
- Abandoning a patient
- Sexual misconduct involving a colleague or patient
- Allowing or enabling prostitution in your office
- Unprofessional misconduct
- Combining your acupuncturist clinic with a massage parlor
- Violating any law under the Health Code
- Committing insurance fraud
- Failing to abide by the necessary infection control practices
- Fraudulently obtaining your practicing license
- Failing to maintain proper medical records
- Falsifying medical records
- Using illegal, false, or misleading advertisements to obtain clients
- Being arrested or convicted of a crime that substantially affects your qualification or duty as an acupuncturist
- Being investigated by another agency or board or by a licensing board in another state
This is not a complete list of the complaints and allegations the Acupuncture Board receives. Remember that the board must act upon any complaint it receives, whether misleading or false. Its action will depend on the findings of an investigation it conducts after receiving an allegation or complaint. Severe allegations can compel the board to suspend your professional license temporarily, at least until the concussion of your case. If the board finds you guilty of the allegations, it will take immediate action to protect the public.
The board appoints administrative judges to hear your case and suggest the best disciplinary action for your professional misconduct. The judges consider the disciplinary guidelines set by the board when making the final decision. Your discipline can be lenient or harsh, depending on the type of complaint or allegations against you. Most disciplinary actions by the board can affect your license, reputation, and livelihood. Hence, there is a need to put up a solid defense to defend your career.
Type of Disciplinary Action the Acupuncture Board Takes Against Guilty Acupuncturists
The disciplinary guidelines of the board outline different disciplinary actions the board can take against anyone the administrative judges find guilty of professional misconduct. It considers the type of allegations, aggravating and mitigating factors, or performance record since you obtained the professional license. The common disciplinary actions include these:
Citations and Fines
The board uses citations and fines in lenient cases of professional misconduct. If the board cites you, you must appear before it for a warning against similar misconduct. You will also be required to pay a fine of a specific amount, which mainly depends on the type of complaint or allegation.
However, citations are mainly publicly issued. Thus, they can affect your career and reputation if your patients, colleagues, or employer discover your professional misconduct.
Reprimand Letters
The board can write you a letter to reprimand your acts or omissions that resulted in an allegation or complaint against you. This is also an excellent way to caution a professional acupuncturist against similar behavior in the future. But these letters are also issued publicly. They can destroy your reputation or cause you to lose patients or your job.
Suspending or Revoking Your License
The board can take more stern action in cases of serious allegations. For example, if your actions or omissions put a client at risk, the board can cancel your license for some time or permanently. The actual action taken by the board will depend on the degree of harm you caused or could have caused your patient.
A suspended license will stop you from practicing your career for a given period. Although this is better than losing your professional license permanently, it can destroy your reputation and cost you your job and current patients. It could be challenging to start over after a suspension.
A revocation means a total loss of your license, career, and livelihood. You are forced to start life all over. This is difficult, especially if you love being an acupuncturist.
License Probation
The judges can put you on probation before suspending or revoking it. The probation period can be reasonable or unreasonable based on the nature of your charges. Although you will be working and serving your patients, you will be operating under stringent probation terms and conditions. These could affect how you perform and the joy you derive from your profession.
What a License Defense Attorney Can Do For You
Working with a license defense attorney when facing charges or being investigated by the Acupuncture Board is an excellent idea. Your attorney can help you explore your options, protect your rights, and choose the best fighting strategies to obtain the best outcome for your case. Your attorney will also act as your support system during the most challenging period of your life.
If, after a board investigation, you receive a citation or reprimand letter, your attorney can support you in fighting it to protect your reputation. Remember that the board issues citations and reprimand letters through their website. The website is usually open to the public and is accessible to your patients, colleagues, employers, and anyone who could be interested in working with you. A damaged reputation will affect your current status as a professional acupuncturist and your prospects for growing your career.
Your attorney can also fight a license suspension or revocation. This is a drastic action that can cause irreversible damage to your career and livelihood. Although a suspension is only temporary, you will suffer severe loss of clients and livelihoods within that period. But if you face license revocation, your lawyer can push for license suspension, which is a better resolution. Since they have your best interests at heart, your attorney will ensure they obtain the most favorable outcome for your situation.
If the judge agrees to place you on probation, your lawyer can push for favorable terms and conditions. They can compel the judge to reduce your probation and allow you some freedom to serve your patients better. They will also support you throughout the probation period to ensure you do not make a mistake that can result in license revocation.
An experienced license defense attorney has the skills you lack in determining the right approach and fighting strategy. They are familiar with all the laws governing acupuncturists in California. They also understand court processes better. Your attorney will relieve your stress and worry by handling all legal matters.
Some cases take a long time for the board to resolve. Your lawyer can push for a quicker resolution of your case so you can move on with your life. You will not be free to enjoy your career if you have a pending legal matter. Speeding up this crucial legal process is vital, even as you fight for a fair outcome.
Find a Skilled Legal Defense Lawyer Near Me
Are you under investigation by the California Acupuncture Board in Los Angeles?
The acupuncture board takes all allegations and complaints against acupuncturists seriously. It also has life-changing discipline guidelines for acupuncturists found guilty of professional misconduct. You could end up with a damaged reputation or a lost livelihood after the resolution of your case. Thus, you must fight any allegation you face to protect your livelihood.
We can help you put up a solid fight for your license at the Law Office of Sara L. Caplan. Our license defense attorneys have the proper knowledge and expertise to fight for your case's best and fair outcome. We also use the best fighting strategies to compel the board to give a fair verdict in your case. Call us at 310-550-5877 to understand your situation and our services better.
