Celebrate our New Beginning, Meet and Greet Jud

By Michael Cronin, ND
AANP President

The end of July, beginning of August, is the most exciting time of year. Our Board, volunteers and staff are hard at work making sure all of the “t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted” as we draw closer to the Annual Convention.

Every time we come together, I am reminded of the great things we can accomplish when we work together. I look forward to conquering our next goals. Let’s make Lorilee Schoenbeck’s chant, “50 in 15,” into a reality and bring all citizens’ awareness to what naturopathic medicine is! Every American should know that physicians and patients can work together to facilitate the integration of health and healing. Patients should know that they do not have to settle for only their symptoms being treated. There are doctors who will target the root causes of disease so that a full and healthy life can be lived.

One of the main goals at this year’s Conference, in addition to connecting face-to-face, is to gather your feedback on how we can strengthen the AANP to achieve our goals. Additionally, we will celebrate the beginning of a new era with Jud Richland, our new chief executive officer. We would like as many of you as possible to be able to attend. With this in mind, we are extending the early bird registration for the AANP Conference through Friday, July 20, 2012.

I can barely contain my excitement to introduce Jud Richland to you. Here is what he has said so far about our community after only a few days in office, “You have chosen to commit to a profession that is truly transformational. To honor your commitment, your professional association must also commit to being transformational. Thus, for AANP the greatest danger is not that our goals are too lofty and we miss them, but that they are too low and we reach them. The association has a thoughtful and impactful blueprint for action.”

Come and celebrate with us at the AANP conference! Learn about our “thoughtful and impactful blueprint.” Find out how you can be part of the "action." Share in the enthusiasm of the AANP team and become a volunteer for a project that fires your passion.

We have an excellent CE Program and there will be lots of social and fun things to take part in like our opening and exhibit hall receptions, the “all schools” dance, and more. While in Seattle area, I would also recommend you take some time to visit the Bastyr Center for Natural Health. A new study affirms our commitment to patient centeredness. The Puget Sound Health Alliance found the Center at the top of their lists for patient experience with communication, getting timely appointments, care and information, and helpful, courteous office staff. Congratulations to the Bastyr team!

It is time to renew old friendships and to help AANP get off to a fresh start.  Meet us in Bellevue and be part of the discussion on how our community can come together to achieve success. Help us expand the influence and impact of naturopathic physicians. 


See you in August!

Federal Policy Priorities for the Naturopathic Community: Reflections on the DC FLI

By Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc
AANP President

The Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill.
Photo by cliff1066^TM via Flickr, used under the Creative Commons License.

Here it is, mid-May already, and it’s been a busy time at the AANP.

I’m sure you have read Karen Howard’s report on this year’s DC FLI. It was a busy four days in Washington, D.C., as over 150 people, including more than 100 naturopathic medical students, met on Capitol Hill to refine our leadership skills, meet with legislators and their staff, and create a visible presence in our nation’s capital. For a profession as small as ours, we have managed become known in the Halls of Congress. This year was my 3rd DC FLI, and I noticed that we spent much less time explaining what naturopathic medicine is and who we are and more time discussing issues important to our profession, our members and our patients.

One of our key messages involved inclusion of naturopathic doctors in various loan repayment programs created or extended under the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It’s ironic really. Both the Department of Education and the Carnegie Institute classify the ND degree as a First-Professional Degree on par with MDs and DOs. All naturopathic medical schools are accredited by the CNME which is recognized by the Department of Education and each of our schools are regionally accredited by authorities recognized by the Dept. of Ed. Naturopathic medical students are eligible for the same federal loan programs as MDs and DOs. Yet, naturopathic doctors are not named in a number of federal programs which allow us to serve in underserved communities and are excluded from participation in all federal loan repayment programs, including the Public Health Workforce, the National Health Services Corp, and the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. This is clearly unfair and is a significant barrier to NDs participating in federal programs, and in the meetings I attended, this was clearly heard by the health staff people with whom we spoke.

Our doctors and students also advocated for a consensus definition of “Integrative Health Practitioner,” a term used but left undefined in the health care reform language, and reminded legislators of our support for DSHEA, which frequently comes under attack from various legislators and agencies.

I think that at least as important as our messages and issues discussed is our presence in D.C. and the building of relationships with legislators, their staffs, and the various regulatory agencies that oversee the transformation of bill language into laws.

On another note, members of the AANP should be receiving their elections packets from the AANP very soon. This year a number of candidates have stepped up for Board positions and for the first time ever we have a competitive election for AANP President-Elect. I am impressed by the quality of our candidates and the wealth of experience, knowledge and dedication to the profession that they all bring to their candidacies. Please read over the candidates' statements and vote for your choice of our next AANP leaders. Your interest and participation are critical to the future of the AANP.

Finally, watch for materials coming soon about the AANP convention in Portland, August 11th-15th. It should be a great one as we celebrate the AANP's 25th anniversary, learn from some of the elders in our profession, and spend time with old and new friends. I hope to see all of you there.

AANP's DC FLI Sets New Records

By Karen Howard
AANP Executive Director


This year's annual Federal Legislative Initiative (DC FLI) topped all records.

• Over 170 visits to Congressional offices representing 38 states and the District of Columbia.
• 171 attendees of whom 100 were naturopathic medical students.
• 1,500 emails were sent in one day from 'virtual' lobbyist across the country using our electronic CapWiz program to write to their Members of Congress.

A special recognition goes to the students of the University of Bridgeport for winning the "Bring a Founder to the FLI" contest and receiving the AANP's first traveling trophy for school spirit.

This year we focused on how Congress can address the critical shortage of primary care physicians by accessing naturopathic medicine. Our specific requests included inclusion in all federal loan repayment programs and defining the term "integrative health care practitioner."

The term, "integrative health care practitioner" is used throughout the health care reform law and is not defined in the statute. Our objective is to encourage Congress to ensure Americans have access to the best, most qualified providers - many, if not all, of whom are underutilized in federal programs. As you may recall, the Coalition for Patients Rights, of which the AANP is a member, represents 3.3 million such practitioners. Our proposal uses language from the original H.Con.Res 406 and H.Con.Res. 58 (introduced by Congressman Langevin) and reads as follows:

"An Integrative Health Care Practitioner, acting within the scope of that provider's license or certification under applicable State law, addresses the underlying causal factors associated with chronic disease; improves individual health and increases individual capacity to engage in activities of daily living through lifestyle change, including strategies relating to diet, exercise, smoking cessation, and stress reduction; and provides patient-centered care that:

1. addresses personal health needs;
2. uses a multidimensional approach to encourage patients to improve their own wellness through lifestyle changes and the use of scientifically based therapies and outcomes based treatments that facilitate the inherent ability of the human body to maintain and restore optimal health; and
3. utilizes clearly defined standards to determine when the implementation of wellness and health promotion activities will be useful for each patient based on the diet, exercise habits, individual health history, and family health history of the patient."

What happens now? Staff is working to mine the reams of data from these very valuable visits on Capitol Hill and will work directly with several of our state contingencies of NDs to create a successful strategy for our efforts. Capitol Hill is a tad weary on the topic of "health," in general, but preliminary work is beginning on what will constitute a technical amendment bill - and the appropriations process is also available as a possible vehicle for these changes. Our relationships continue to grow and deepen on Capitol Hill and our presence is clearly having an impact.

Naturopathic Leaders and Leadership

By Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc
AANP President

Photo by Tim Green aka atouch via Flickr, used under the Creative Commons License.

Earlier this month, I attended three meetings in three days in Portland, Oregon. The first was our AANP Board meeting, bringing together 13 Board members elected by the membership to represent their interests and guide the direction of the association. The second day was a meeting of the Naturopathic Coordinating Council (NCC), a diverse group representing the AANP, the schools and colleges, the CNME, NABNE, and other established and recognized organizations representing the naturopathic profession in North America who collaborate in planning and coordinating action toward a vibrant and successful naturopathic profession. The third day was a meeting of the American Association of Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC) where representatives from the seven naturopathic medical schools met to discuss topics of mutual interest and promote successful programs and improve student education.

As I sat in these 3 days of meetings, it struck me that, by and large, I was spending time with most of the current leaders of the naturopathic profession, a relatively small group of people who through their hard work and dedication, are advancing naturopathic medicine and in their small ways, changing the world.

It is currently estimated that there are about 6000 licensed NDs in the United States and Canada. My guess is there are around 100 people who are in key leadership roles. Some are employed by various organizations to do their work (the schools and colleges come to mind), but many are volunteers who are members of Boards or officers in their state associations. What all have in common is a vision of where naturopathic medicine can go and what it can do to improve the health of the public and influence the course of health care policies that affect us all.

It’s a funny thing. I think that when most of us became students of naturopathic medicine, we were focused on our studies, learning about how this medicine can benefit our patients as we go out into the world and establish our practices. Little did we know how important it would be to get involved in politics, both at state and federal levels, to expand access to naturopathic care, assure scopes of practice to reflect our training and education, and to dispel much of the ignorance and misperceptions around the naturopathic profession.

While on vacation last month, I ran into a ND at the Kona Farmers Market. We chatted a bit, and I found out she had become involved in the Hawaii association during its recent successful effort to update the scope of practice for Hawaii NDs. She mentioned that she had not planned to get involved in these political doings, but that she felt she had to because of the effects on her practice and her abilities to be of benefit to her patients. I think many of us can relate to her experience. Whether we expected it or not, many of us have found that to do our work well, we must become involved in big picture thinking and join with others in cultivating and growing the profession.

As I write this, the AANP has sent out its call for nominations for the 2010 elections. This year, we will be choosing a new President-Elect for the 2012-2013 term as well as 5 new board members. The AANP is a member-driven association; candidates are nominated by the membership and elected by a majority of the members votes. Your participation in this process is vital to the direction and future of the AANP.

This election promises to be an exciting one. I know of some candidates who plan to run and am impressed by the experience and professionalism they bring to the ballot. It is very likely this years elections will be competitive, with more candidates running than there are available positions. This means choices for AANP members to influence the direction and goals of the association.

My charge to you is simple: Get Involved! Vote! Read the candidates statements and decide who best speaks for you and your concerns and desires. For those of you with leadership experience and interest, consider running for a Board position.

With your voice and your vote, you have the power to grow and guide the naturopathic profession as it gains its rightful place in the healthcare system.

I Know You Are, But What Am I?

By Bill Benda, MD



Photo by dotjdotsmith via flickr under the Creative Commons License.

There is a lexicon war going on this year, have you noticed? The first shots were fired last February at the Institute of Medicine Summit on Integrative Medicine in Washington, DC, where non-MD practitioners (specifically nurses and social workers) lined up at the microphone during the public commentary sessions to insist on the substitution of “healthcare” for “medicine” in all future language. Then, over the summer, the American Medical Association launched the first wave of its Scope of Practice Partnership, intent upon preventing doctorate-level professions from calling themselves “doctors” and “practicing medicine” and defining exactly what a “physician” is. On the other hand, a few short weeks ago, the US Department of Labor confirmed the legislative validity, among other things, of the official titles “naturopathic physician” and “naturopathic doctor.” So in general it appears people are happy being called “doctor,” unless they don’t want to be, or aren’t legally qualified, or someone else doesn’t want them to be, and that “healthcare” is the politically correct phrase from now on, unless we are talking about naturopathic “medicine” or Traditional Chinese “medicine,” in which case “medicine” doesn’t mean MDs, unless we are talking about the AMA, in which case “medicine” or “doctor” can only mean MDs. Or DOs. Or dentists.

Sheesh. What ever happened to Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? Where has the egalitarian, its-about-the-patient-not-us, change-the-paradigm conversation gone? If we agree that we all want a new definition of healthcare, why are we arguing over old classifications of entitlement? Don’t get me wrong – classifications are essential in the bureaucratic world of reimbursement and such. But doesn’t this war of the words seem a bit childish when so much is at stake in both the national and global arena?

I am, by all traditional criteria, a doctor who practices medicine. And I actively discourage anyone knowing this particular fact before they first get to know me as a person, as I usually will encounter one of two reactions – either an undeserved deference or an equally undeserved dismissal as likely being a jerk (which, by the way, if true is unrelated to my medical degree). In fact I propose that anyone making a restaurant reservation using the title “Dr,” whether medical or naturopathic or veterinarian, should be immediately seated next to the bathroom and then ignored.

The fact is that none of us is actually a doctor, or a nurse, or a naturopath, or an acupuncturist. We are simply human beings who have chosen a particular profession in our desire to help other fellow human beings, which is by definition the antithesis of entitlement. And to fight over a title while denigrating the AMA for its aggressively jealous obsession with that particular idiom is not simply childish; it’s hypocrisy.

And anyone that confused needs to see a doctor.