For Immediate Release

On March 11, 2020, Michelle Lujan Grisham, the Governor of the State of New Mexico, declared in Executive Order 2020-004 (EO 2020-004) that a Public Health Emergency exists under the Public Health Emergency Response Act.

On March 23, 2020, Kathyleen M Kunkel, Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Department of Health, on direction from the Governor pursuant to EO 2020-004 issued a Public health emergency order closing all businesses and non-profit entities except for those deemed essential and providing additional restriction on mass gatherings due to COVID -19; which gave a list of essential businesses and ordered all other businesses to close and for New Mexico citizens to remain at home unless engaging in essential business.

On March 24, 2020, Kathyleen M Kunkel, Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Department of Health, on direction from the Governor pursuant to EO 2020-004 issued a Public health emergency order imposing temporary restrictions on non-essential health care services, procedures, and surgeries; providing guidance on those restrictions; and requiring a report from certain health care providers; prohibiting all health care providers, including Doctors of Oriental Medicine, from providing non-essential health care services; “non-essential health care services, procedures, and surgeries” are defined as those that can be delayed for three (3) months without undue risk to the patients health; the order takes effect March 27, 2020; and each health care provider or facility that is subject to the prohibition on non-essential health care services must provide a report to the Department of Health.

On March 24, 2020, Kathyleen M Kunkel, Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Department of Health, on direction from the Governor pursuant to EO 2020-004 issued a Public health emergency order temporarily regulating the sale and distribution of personal protective equipment due to shortages caused by COVID-19; which prevents health care providers, including Doctors of Oriental Medicine, from selling, allocating, or otherwise distributing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) without approval from the Department of Health; it also directs every health care provider, including Doctors of Oriental Medicine, that have inventory of PPE to report to the Department of Health describing its inventory of PPE.

Recommendations for New Mexico Acupuncturists

Acupuncturist means a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, extern, or student practicing according to Chapter 61 Article 14A NMSA 1978 the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Practice Act.

NMSAAM is not qualified to give legal advice, and nothing in this document is intended to act as or substitute for legal advice. NMSAAM does not take any liability, expressed or implied, for acupuncturists who act on anything contained in this document; it is provided as is and for information only.

In light of EO 2020-004 and the public health emergency orders issued pursuant to it, the New Mexico Society of Acupuncture and Asian Medicine (NMSAAM) makes the following recommendations to acupuncturists practicing in the state of New Mexico:

  1. New Mexico acupuncturists should immediately determine which of their patients can safely discontinue in person treatments without undue risk to the patients health, keeping in mind the following recommendations:
    1. Patients who are not likely to require hospitalization due to postponing in person treatments should be strongly considered for postponing acupuncture and in person treatments;
    2. Acupuncturists are encouraged to use their clinical judgment when adjusting patient treatment plans;
    3. If at all possible, in person treatments should be discontinued until either EO 2020-004 expires or further guidance is received from the Department of Health;
  2. New Mexico acupuncturists should immediately begin the process of offering video, phone, and other telemedicine services to their patients; acupuncturists are reminded that only services determined essential should be offered at this time;
  3. New Mexico acupuncturists should inform the Department of Health of their plan to comply with Public health emergency order imposing temporary restrictions on non-essential health care services, procedures, and surgeries; providing guidance on those restrictions; and requiring a report from certain health care providers and should include at a minimum:
    1. Which services will generally be considered essential and offered during the public health emergency;
    2. Which services will generally be considered non-essential and not offered during the public health emergency;
    3. A statement that the acupuncturist will use their clinical judgment in determining which specific treatments and services are essential to patient safety;
    4. A statement on how the acupuncturist will be available for contact to patients to co-ordinate continuation of care, including phone, email, or online visits;
    5. One letter or email per clinic, with all acupuncturists practicing at the clinic listed, should be sufficient; it is not necessary for each acupuncturist at a clinic to submit a report;
    6. Reports should be submitted to: www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/pQ5Z4fAr6SKxdt3JEv7f19 as soon as possible
  4. New Mexico acupuncturists should inform the department of health of any inventory of PPE, if any; PPE includes: gloves, medical masks, goggles, face shields, other eye protection, respirators (N95 or FFP2 standard or equivalent), and aprons used by health care providers;
    1. One report per clinic, with all acupuncturists practicing at the clinic listed, should be sufficient; it is not necessary for each acupuncturist at a clinic to submit a report;
    2. If the acupuncturist or clinic does not have any inventory of PPE, they may send a statement stating so to the Department of Health;
    3. Reports should be submitted to Section.DOC-Planning@state.nm.us;
  5. New Mexico acupuncturists should look to the Department of Health's website and the Governor's website for further communications
    1. cv.nmhealth.org/public-health-orders-and-executive-orders
    2. www.governor.state.nm.us

NMSAAM will continue to provide information to the profession as it is provided to us and as we become aware of it. Thank you all for making the practice of acupuncture and Asian medicine one of the safest systems of medicine practiced in New Mexico.

Approved March 27, 2020

Approved unanimously by the executive committee of the New Mexico Society for Acupuncture and Asian Medicine and approved by the board of directors of the same the 27th day of March, 2020

NMSAAM Board Of Directors

  • John Scott, DOM President
  • Yvonne Walston, DOM Vice President
  • Elene Gusch, DOM Secretary
  • Steven Malins, DOM Treasurer
  • Amanda Wheat, DOM
  • Yvette Arellano, DOM
  • Ann Losee, DOM
  • Jennifer Rysanek, DOM
  • Bernadette Lujan, DOM