Source: http://wvacupuncture.org/Meetings-Minutes/aid/6
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 02:48:48+00:00

Document:
1.2. Authority. -- W. Va. Code §§30-36-7 and 30-36-18.
This legislative rule applies to all licensed acupuncturists, student acupuncturists, and acupuncture trainees.
3.1. West Virginia Acupuncture Practice Act. -- W. Va. Code §30-36-1 et seq.
3.2. Adjudicatory hearing. -- A formal administrative hearing before the Board or a designated hearing examiner, conducted to determine the truth and validity of complaints filed against a licensee. An adjudicatory hearing may result in disciplinary action including, but not limited to, suspension or revocation of a licensee's license, reprimand, fine, censure or other limitation, including probation, on a licensee's practice.
3.3. Crimes involving moral turpitude. -- Those crimes which have dishonesty as a fundamental and necessary element; including, but not limited to, crimes involving theft, embezzlement, false swearing, perjury, fraud or misrepresentation.
3.4. Probation. -- Imposing conditions and requirements upon a licensee for a period of time that the Board, in its discretion, determines to be justified under any provision of law. A licensee placed on probation may continue to practice subject to limitations imposed by the Board, including the requirements that the licensee appear before the Board, or an officer or agent of the Board, at times and places designated by the Board. A licensee may be placed on probation without a previous or concurrent suspension or revocation of his or her license.
§32-7-4. Causes for Denial, Probation, Limitation, Discipline, Suspension or Revocation of Licenses of Acupuncturists.
4.1.31. Engaged in advertising that is not in the public interest. Advertising that is not in the public interest includes the following.
4.1.31.6. Advertising which make claims of professional superiority which a licensee is unable to substantiate.
4.2.1. Prescribing or dispensing any "Controlled Substance" as defined in Chapter 6A of the W. Va. Code.
B. Which he or she professes to be self-taught, self-developed.
4.2.7.7. The nature of the circumstances under which the services are provided.
4.2.8. In any case where it is found that an excessive, unconscionable fee has been charged, in addition to any actions taken under the provisions of section 4.3 of this rule, the Board may require the licensee to reduce or pay back the fee.
4.3.9. Require the licensee to provide a period of free public or charitable service.
4.3.10. In addition to and in conjunction with these actions, the Board may make a finding adverse to the licensee or applicant, but withhold imposition of judgement and penalty, or it may impose the judgement and penalty but suspend enforcement of the penalty and place the acupuncturist on probation, which may be vacated upon the noncompliance with any terms imposed by the Board. In its discretion, the Board may restore and reissue a license under the West Virginia Acupuncture Practice Act, W. Va. Code §30-36-1 et. seq. , and as a condition it may impose any disciplinary or corrective measure provided for in this Rule or in the West Virginia Acupuncture Practice Act.
4.4.9. In those situations where indicated, the Board may impose additional terms of probation, restriction, or revocation upon a licensee who has initially been placed on probation. The period of probation shall not exceed five (5) years from its initiation date.
5.1. Any applicant for a license who has had his or her application denied by order of the Board may appeal the order within thirty (30) days of that action, in accordance with the contested case hearing procedure, W. Va. Code §29A-5-1 et seq., and rules of the Board: Provided, That the appeal shall not include cases in which the Board denies a license or certificate after an examination to test the knowledge or the ability of the applicant where the controversy concerns whether the examination was fair or whether the applicant passed the examination.
5.2. Any licensee practicing acupuncture and oriental medicine in this State, who has had his or her license denied, suspended, restricted, or revoked by order of the Board, may appeal the order within thirty (30) days of this action in accordance with the contested case hearing procedure, W. Va. Code §29A-5-1 et seq., and the rules of the Board: Provided, That the appeal shall not include cases in which the Board issues a license, permit or certificate after an examination to test the knowledge or the ability of the licensee where the controversy concerns whether the examination was fair or whether the licensee passed the examination.
6.1.4. The name of any health care institution in which the patient was an inpatient or outpatient after or during the alleged incident.
6.2. Reports submitted by a medical peer review committee, a physician, the chief executive officer of a hospital, a professional society, an insurer or any other person, in compliance with the provisions of W. Va. Code §30-3-14 (b) may result in the initiation of a complaint by the Board.
6.2.1. The Board may prepare forms for filing required reports and make them available upon request.
6.2.2. Any information regarding a complaint shall be sent by the Board to the practitioner concerned for his or her written comment and he or she will submit a written reply within fifteen (15) days, or waive the right to do so.
6.2.3. Any requests for comment sent to practitioners shall be considered properly served when sent to their last known address. It is the practitioner's responsibility to keep the Board informed of his or her appropriate current address.
6.2.4. Any individual or any medical entity having reason to believe that the conduct of a practitioner amounts to professional malpractice or professional incompetence will be encouraged to report the information to the Board.
6.2.5. The chief executive officer of every hospital shall within sixty (60) days after completion of the hospital's formal disciplinary procedure, and also after the commencement of and again after the conclusion of any resulting legal action, report in writing to the Board the name of any acupuncture member of the medical staff practicing in the hospital whose hospital privileges have been revoked, restricted, reduced, or terminated for any cause, including resignation, together with all pertinent information relating to the action. The chief executive officer shall also report within sixty (60) days after action is taken any other formal disciplinary action taken against any acupuncturist by the hospital upon the recommendation of its medical staff relating to professional ethics, medical incompetence, medical malpractice, moral turpitude or drug or alcohol abuse. The provisions of this section do not apply to any temporary suspension for failure to maintain records on a timely basis or for failure to attend staff or section meetings.
6.2.6. Any professional society in this State comprised primarily of practitioners, which takes formal disciplinary action against a member relating to professional ethics, professional incompetence, professional malpractice, moral turpitude or drug or alcohol abuse, shall, within sixty (60) days of a final decision, report in writing to the Board the name of the member, together with all pertinent information relating to the action.
6.2.7. Every insurer providing professional liability insurance to a practitioner in this State shall submit of the Board the following information within thirty (30) days from any judgement, dismissal or settlement of a civil action involving the insured: The date of any judgement, dismissal or settlement; whether any appeal has been taken on the judgement, and if so, by which party; the amount of any settlement or judgement against the insured; and any other information within the knowledge of the insurer as the Board required.
6.2.8. Within thirty (30) days after the conviction of a person known to be an acupuncture practitioner licensed or otherwise lawfully practicing in this state, or applying to be licensed, of a felony under the laws of this State, or of any crime under the laws of this State involving alcohol or drugs in any way, including any controlled substance under state or federal law, the clerk of the court of record in which the conviction was entered shall forward to the Board a certified true and correct abstract of record or the convicting court. The abstract shall include the name and address of the practitioner or applicant, the nature of the offense committed and the final judgement and sentence of the court.
6.2.9. Information received by the Board under the provisions of W. Va. Code §30-36-1 et. seq., and this rule may be used by the Board in its determination as to whether to deny an application for a license or to initiate disciplinary action against a practitioner licensed in this State, and information may be submitted into evidence notwithstanding its prior use in any administrative civil or criminal hearing involving the applicant or practitioner.
6.3. All communications with the Board charging a practitioner with violations are conditionally privileged and a person making a communication is privileged from liability based upon the communication unless the person makes the communication in bad faith or for a malicious reason.
6.4. The Board shall maintain a complaint log which records the receipt of each complaint, its nature and its disposition.
6.5.3. That more information will be required in order to adequately review the individual complaint.
6.6. The Board shall maintain a separate investigative or complaint folder on each case reviewed, and each folder shall have a case number assigned to it.
6.7. After receipt and review of a complaint, unless the complaint is determined to fall within the provisions of subdivision 6.5.2. of this rule, the Board as a whole shall cause to be conducted any reasonable inquiry or investigation it considers necessary to determine the truth and validity of the allegations set forth in the complaint. The Board may assign the investigation to a committee of the Board.
6.8. A complaint against a practitioner or applicant shall allege that in his or her professional capacity he or she is acting in violation of the law, rules, or good and accepted medical practice and may be founded on any violation enumerated in the W. Va. Code §30-36-1 et. seq. or subsections 4.1 or 4.2 of this rule.
6.9. The Board, its executive director, hearing examiner or the committee, may issue subpoenas and subpoena duces tecum as required to complete the Boards investigation and may utilize Board investigator to conduct whatever investigations are necessary to determine the truth or validity of complaints.
6.10. To facilitate disposition of a complaint, the Board or the committee, shall request any person to attend an informal conference, or to appear at a regular meeting of the Board, at any time prior to the commencement of an adjudicatory proceeding. The Board or committee, shall give notice of the conference, which notice shall include a statement of issues to be informally discussed. Statements made at a conference may not be introduced at any hearing on the merits without consent of all parties to the hearing. No prejudice shall attach for failure to attend a conference pursuant to a request.
6.11. If the Board or committee determines that a complaint complies substantially with subsection 6.8 of this rule and it relates to matters set forth in W. Va. Code §30-36-1 et. seq. or subsections 4.1 or 4.2 of this rule, it may request that the individual complained of (hereinafter referred to as the "Respondent") respond to the complaint within thirty (30) days. The Board may attach a copy of the complaint to the order for response or may describe the acts alleged in the complaint. A respondent may answer either personally or through his or her attorney, but the answer shall address the substantive allegations set forth in the complaint or order.
6.12. Upon receipt of the respondent's answer or at any point in the course of investigation or inquiry into a complaint, the committee may determine that there is not and will not be sufficient evidence to warrant further proceedings or that the complaint fails to allege misconduct for which a licensee may be sanctioned by the Board. In that event, the committee shall recommend to the Board that it dismiss the complaint. The committee shall retain a file of all complaints and shall review this file periodically.
6.13. At any point in its investigation of a complaint, the Board or complaint committee may assign the matter to one of its medical consultants for review. The report of the medical consultant shall contain a statement of the allegations, the facts, an analysis of the complaint and care provided, a brief description of the records reviewed and a recommendation and finding. The medical consultant shall, upon request, be afforded an opportunity to have an investigation interview with the practitioner in question or other involved parties, a report of which shall be placed in the investigative file.
6.14. If a respondent fails to answer within the thirty (30) day period or it the committee determines that there is reason to believe that the acts alleged occurred and constitute a violation for which a respondent may be sanctioned by the Board, the committee shall recommend that there be a finding of probable cause to believe there is a violation of the law or this rule.
6.15. The Board shall review the recommendation of the committee and shall require and adjudicatory hearing if it determines that there is probable cause to believe that acts alleged occurred and may constitute a violation of any provision of law or this rule. The Board may take any informal action warranted by a complaint.
6.16. The Board may suspend or refuse to renew a license pending a hearing in the health and safety or welfare of the public necessitates the summary action. The Board shall provide a hearing on the necessity for the summary action within fifteen (15) days after the suspension.
6.17. A practitioner shall respond within thirty (30) days to a written communication from the Board or its designee and shall make available to the Board any relevant and authorized records with respect to an inquiry or complaint about his or her professional conduct. The thirty (30) day period commences on the date the Board sends the communication by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested to his or her last known address.

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