Acupuncturists take poke at pain clinic

Plans to perform acupuncture at P.E.I.'s new pain management clinic are drawing complaints from the province's registered acupuncturists.

'My issue is whether I'm able to provide comprehensive pain management.' Dr. Des Colohan

The Association of Registered Acupuncturists of P.E.I. says the Island's first provincially funded pain clinic, which opened last week in Charlottetown, could unfairly take business from its members.

"We'll watch very carefully," Daniel Schulman, chair of the acupuncture group, told CBC News Wednesday.

"If it stays the size it is, I think there's room for both. But if the province has plans or if it grows to more practitioners, more capacity, bigger scope, we would certainly expect to be consulted and be in the loop with any of those developments."

Schulman said there was no talk of public funding of acupuncture when his group met with the health minister a few years ago.

A news release from the province last week said a range of services, including acupuncture, will be offered at the clinic to help people experiencing chronic pain.

However, Dr. Richard Wedge, P.E.I.'s director of medical programs, said Wednesday acupuncture is not covered under P.E.I.'s medicare policy and cannot be done free of charge for clinic patients. He added Dr. Des Colohan, the doctor at the pain clinic, cannot bill patients personally for any acupuncture he gives during clinic hours.

Colohan said the issue of payment isn't a priority for him.

"That's a government issue," he said.

"My issue is whether I'm able to provide comprehensive pain management services to the best of my ability to a broad spectrum of patients. And that's where there might be some debate."

Wedge hopes to meet with Colohan to discuss the issue.