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Welcome!
Please take a minute to read this introduction to our clinic and to our community.
What is different about the QCA clinic?
Asia, where acupuncture usually occurs in a community setting. In our clinic we primarily use recliners,
clustered in groups in a large, quiet, soothing space. Treating patients in a community setting has many
benefits: it’s easy for friends and family members to come in for treatment together; many patients find it
comforting; and a collective energetic field becomes established which actually makes individual
treatments more powerful. In some styles of acupuncture, the needles are removed after only a few
minutes or after a half hour at most. The style of acupuncture we practice at QCA allows patients to
keep their needles in as long as they want, and the amount of time varies from patient to patient. Most
people learn after a few treatments when they feel “done”; this can take from twenty minutes to a
couple of hours! Many people fall asleep, and wake feeling refreshed.
tend to spend a long time talking with each patient, going over medical records, asking many questions.
We don’t. The only way that we at QCA can make acupuncture affordable and still make a living
ourselves is to streamline our treatments and see multiple patients in an hour, so we have returned to the
traditional approach; instead of asking you lots of questions, we rely on pulse diagnosis to decide how to
treat you. This is exactly how acupuncture is practiced traditionally in Asia -- many patients per hour and
very little talking. Please see the attached information that explains our sliding scale. Because we have a
sliding scale, we cannot bill insurance companies. (The insurance companies rule). If you have insurance
that covers acupuncture, we’ll be happy to give you a payment receipt, and you can submit it; that’s
OK with the insurance companies.
better and stay better. We want our community to be welcoming to all different kinds of people. We
want to give you the tools to take care of your own health so that you will not need to rely on
corporations like Big Insurance or Big Pharmaceuticals for costly, high-tech interventions. We will provide a
safe environment with skilled practitioners.
What We Need From You
medicine, but it is not a substitute for it. If you think you have a problem that is not garden variety
(meaning, you are worried that you might have a serious infection, a malignant growth, or an injury that
won’t heal), or if you want someone knowledgeable to go over the details of your medical history with
you, you need to see a primary care physician (ND, MD, or DO). You cannot expect us to diagnose and
treat something really serious. We can provide complimentary care for conditions which require a
physician’s attention -- for instance, we often treat patients for the side effects of chemotherapy. But we
need you to take responsibility for your own health. QCA does not receive grants, state or federal money,
or insurance reimbursement. QCA exists because patients pay for their treatments; it a sustainable
community business model.
recliner. When we are busy, someone may be sitting in yours. Similarly, we have a few patients who snore.
Other patients who dislike snoring bring earplugs to their treatments. We are grateful for this! Some of our
patients even bring favorite pillows or blankets from home with them, because they prefer theirs to ours.
That’s fine with us. Basically, we need you to participate in making yourself comfortable in the community
room before we arrive to treat you. In terms of how long you want to stay -- tell the receptionist, when you
check in, if you need to be somewhere at a certain time! If you want to be unpinned at a specific time,
ask the receptionist to make a note and give it to the acupuncturist. We’ll make sure you’re out on time.
In general, if you feel done, open your eyes and give us a meaningful look -- if your eyes are closed, we
think you’re asleep and we won’t wake you up.
appreciate everyone’s presence! This kind of collective stillness is a rare and precious thing in our rushed
and busy society. Maintaining this reservoir of calm requires that no one talk very much in the clinic space.
If you would like to speak to a practitioner one-on-one at any length, please let us know. If you want to
have a substantial conversation, we will probably need to schedule that separately and might need to
do it by phone. If you have questions about acupuncture and how it works -- please do some research!
We have a community clinic library, and there are great books and publications we can recommend.
Unfortunately, we can’t explain what every point does, or how acupuncture works, while we are treating
you -- these are very large topics! If you have questions, we’ll happily give you plenty to read! Part of our
success is that our patients learn the routine and take on a lot of responsibility for the appointments. Re-
scheduling and making payment happens at the front desk BEFORE each treatment, so you can relax
and enjoy treatment. Please make sure to use the restroom and wash your hands before checking in, then
take all personal belongings, (bags, shoes, etc.) with you back into the treatment room. And of course,
please turn off your cell phone. Your first time intake form is available to download here 1st visit
Paperwork and fill out prior to your first appointment. You are also welcome to arrive early and fill these
forms out at the office. PLEASE also read the Qiworks User's Manual prior to coming in.
treatment. In China, a typical treatment protocol for a chronic condition could be acupuncture every
other day for three months! Most of our patients don’t need that much acupuncture, but virtually every
patient requires a course of treatment, rather than a single treatment, in order to get what they want
from acupuncture. One big reason that we are able to keep our prices so low is because of the
extraordinary amount of marketing our patients do on our behalf -- we don’t have to advertise. We
cannot express how grateful we are for this. Our patients are such effective marketers because they
have first-hand experience of how well acupuncture works. All of our satisfied patients basically made a
commitment to a course of treatment. On your first visit, your acupuncturist will suggest a course of
treatment, which can be anything from “We’d like to see you once a week for six weeks” to “we’d really
like to see you every day for the next four days”. This suggestion is based on our experience with treating
different kinds of conditions. If you don’t come in often enough or long enough, acupuncture probably
won’t work for you. The purpose of our sliding scale is to help you make that commitment. If you have
questions about how long it will take to see results, please ask us, or if you think you need to adjust your
treatment plan, please let us know. We need you to commit to the process of treatment in order to get
good results. And, last, but not least, enjoy the space. We do, and hope that Qiworks Community
Acupuncture can be an important part of your community.
Thank you,
Qiworks Community Acupuncture Staff
"We are the heirs of a precious, ancient, people's medicine. Acupuncture belongs to everyone.”
Lisa Rohleder, co-founder of Working Class Acupuncture, Portland, Oregon
Please take a minute to read this introduction to our clinic and to our community.
What is different about the QCA clinic?
- We treat in a community setting.
Asia, where acupuncture usually occurs in a community setting. In our clinic we primarily use recliners,
clustered in groups in a large, quiet, soothing space. Treating patients in a community setting has many
benefits: it’s easy for friends and family members to come in for treatment together; many patients find it
comforting; and a collective energetic field becomes established which actually makes individual
treatments more powerful. In some styles of acupuncture, the needles are removed after only a few
minutes or after a half hour at most. The style of acupuncture we practice at QCA allows patients to
keep their needles in as long as they want, and the amount of time varies from patient to patient. Most
people learn after a few treatments when they feel “done”; this can take from twenty minutes to a
couple of hours! Many people fall asleep, and wake feeling refreshed.
- We have a sliding payment scale.
tend to spend a long time talking with each patient, going over medical records, asking many questions.
We don’t. The only way that we at QCA can make acupuncture affordable and still make a living
ourselves is to streamline our treatments and see multiple patients in an hour, so we have returned to the
traditional approach; instead of asking you lots of questions, we rely on pulse diagnosis to decide how to
treat you. This is exactly how acupuncture is practiced traditionally in Asia -- many patients per hour and
very little talking. Please see the attached information that explains our sliding scale. Because we have a
sliding scale, we cannot bill insurance companies. (The insurance companies rule). If you have insurance
that covers acupuncture, we’ll be happy to give you a payment receipt, and you can submit it; that’s
OK with the insurance companies.
- Our Commitment to You
better and stay better. We want our community to be welcoming to all different kinds of people. We
want to give you the tools to take care of your own health so that you will not need to rely on
corporations like Big Insurance or Big Pharmaceuticals for costly, high-tech interventions. We will provide a
safe environment with skilled practitioners.
What We Need From You
- Responsibility
medicine, but it is not a substitute for it. If you think you have a problem that is not garden variety
(meaning, you are worried that you might have a serious infection, a malignant growth, or an injury that
won’t heal), or if you want someone knowledgeable to go over the details of your medical history with
you, you need to see a primary care physician (ND, MD, or DO). You cannot expect us to diagnose and
treat something really serious. We can provide complimentary care for conditions which require a
physician’s attention -- for instance, we often treat patients for the side effects of chemotherapy. But we
need you to take responsibility for your own health. QCA does not receive grants, state or federal money,
or insurance reimbursement. QCA exists because patients pay for their treatments; it a sustainable
community business model.
- Flexibility
recliner. When we are busy, someone may be sitting in yours. Similarly, we have a few patients who snore.
Other patients who dislike snoring bring earplugs to their treatments. We are grateful for this! Some of our
patients even bring favorite pillows or blankets from home with them, because they prefer theirs to ours.
That’s fine with us. Basically, we need you to participate in making yourself comfortable in the community
room before we arrive to treat you. In terms of how long you want to stay -- tell the receptionist, when you
check in, if you need to be somewhere at a certain time! If you want to be unpinned at a specific time,
ask the receptionist to make a note and give it to the acupuncturist. We’ll make sure you’re out on time.
In general, if you feel done, open your eyes and give us a meaningful look -- if your eyes are closed, we
think you’re asleep and we won’t wake you up.
- Community-Mindedness
appreciate everyone’s presence! This kind of collective stillness is a rare and precious thing in our rushed
and busy society. Maintaining this reservoir of calm requires that no one talk very much in the clinic space.
If you would like to speak to a practitioner one-on-one at any length, please let us know. If you want to
have a substantial conversation, we will probably need to schedule that separately and might need to
do it by phone. If you have questions about acupuncture and how it works -- please do some research!
We have a community clinic library, and there are great books and publications we can recommend.
Unfortunately, we can’t explain what every point does, or how acupuncture works, while we are treating
you -- these are very large topics! If you have questions, we’ll happily give you plenty to read! Part of our
success is that our patients learn the routine and take on a lot of responsibility for the appointments. Re-
scheduling and making payment happens at the front desk BEFORE each treatment, so you can relax
and enjoy treatment. Please make sure to use the restroom and wash your hands before checking in, then
take all personal belongings, (bags, shoes, etc.) with you back into the treatment room. And of course,
please turn off your cell phone. Your first time intake form is available to download here 1st visit
Paperwork and fill out prior to your first appointment. You are also welcome to arrive early and fill these
forms out at the office. PLEASE also read the Qiworks User's Manual prior to coming in.
- Commitment
treatment. In China, a typical treatment protocol for a chronic condition could be acupuncture every
other day for three months! Most of our patients don’t need that much acupuncture, but virtually every
patient requires a course of treatment, rather than a single treatment, in order to get what they want
from acupuncture. One big reason that we are able to keep our prices so low is because of the
extraordinary amount of marketing our patients do on our behalf -- we don’t have to advertise. We
cannot express how grateful we are for this. Our patients are such effective marketers because they
have first-hand experience of how well acupuncture works. All of our satisfied patients basically made a
commitment to a course of treatment. On your first visit, your acupuncturist will suggest a course of
treatment, which can be anything from “We’d like to see you once a week for six weeks” to “we’d really
like to see you every day for the next four days”. This suggestion is based on our experience with treating
different kinds of conditions. If you don’t come in often enough or long enough, acupuncture probably
won’t work for you. The purpose of our sliding scale is to help you make that commitment. If you have
questions about how long it will take to see results, please ask us, or if you think you need to adjust your
treatment plan, please let us know. We need you to commit to the process of treatment in order to get
good results. And, last, but not least, enjoy the space. We do, and hope that Qiworks Community
Acupuncture can be an important part of your community.
Thank you,
Qiworks Community Acupuncture Staff
"We are the heirs of a precious, ancient, people's medicine. Acupuncture belongs to everyone.”
Lisa Rohleder, co-founder of Working Class Acupuncture, Portland, Oregon