Indiana Administrative Code › Title 844 - MEDICAL LICENSING BOARD OF INDIANA › Article 13 - ACUPUNCTURISTS › Rule 5 - Standards of Professional Conduct › Section 5-1 - Duties of acupuncturist

Current through July 10, 2024
Authority: IC
				  25-22.5-2-7
Affected: IC
				  25-1-9; IC
				  25-22.5-1
Sec. 1.
(a) An
				acupuncturist in the conduct of his or her practice of acupuncture shall abide
				by, and comply with, the standards of professional conduct in this
				rule.
(b) An acupuncturist shall
				maintain the confidentiality of all knowledge and information regarding a
				patient, including, but not limited to, the patient's diagnosis, treatment and
				prognosis, and all records relating thereto, about which the acupuncturist may
				learn or otherwise be informed during the course of, or as a result of, the
				patient-acupuncturist relationship. Information about a patient shall be
				disclosed by an acupuncturist when required by law or when authorized by the
				patient or those responsible for the patient's care.
(c) An acupuncturist shall give a truthful,
				candid, and reasonably complete account of the patient's condition to the
				patient or to those responsible for the patient's care, except where an
				acupuncturist reasonably determines that the information is or would be
				detrimental to the physical or mental health of the patient or, in the case of
				a minor or incompetent person, except where an acupuncturist reasonably
				determines that the information would be detrimental to the physical or mental
				health of those responsible for the patient's care.
(d) The acupuncturist shall give reasonable
				written notice to an active patient or those responsible for the patient's care
				when the acupuncturist withdraws from a case so that another acupuncturist may
				be employed by the patient or by those responsible for the patient's care. An
				acupuncturist shall not abandon a patient. As used in this section, "active
				patient" means a person whom the acupuncturist has examined, cared for, or
				otherwise consulted with, during the two (2) year period prior to retirement,
				discontinuation of practice of acupuncture, or leaving or moving from the
				community.
(e) An acupuncturist who
				withdraws from a case, except in emergency circumstances, shall, upon written
				request, make available to his or her patient all records, test results,
				histories, diagnoses, files, and information relating to the patient that are
				in the acupuncturist's custody, possession, or control, or copies of such
				documents herein before described.
(f) An acupuncturist shall exercise
				reasonable care and diligence in the diagnosis and treatment of patients based
				upon approved scientific principles, methods, treatments, professional theory,
				and practice.
(g) An acupuncturist
				shall not represent, advertise, state, or indicate the possession of any degree
				recognized as the basis for licensure to practice acupuncture unless the
				acupuncturist is actually licensed on the basis of such degree in the state or
				states in which he or she practices.
(h) An acupuncturist shall obtain
				consultation whenever requested to do so by a patient or by those responsible
				for a patient's care.
(i) An
				acupuncturist who has personal knowledge based upon a reasonable belief that
				another acupuncturist has engaged in illegal, unlawful, incompetent, or
				fraudulent conduct in the practice of acupuncture shall promptly report such
				conduct to the board. Further, an acupuncturist who has personal knowledge of
				any person engaged in, or attempting to engage in, the unauthorized practice of
				acupuncture shall promptly report such conduct to the board.