Licensing Alternative Medicine Practitioners in Arkansas
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: December 14, 2012
Naturopathic medicine becoming more popular in the Natural State as more people frequently turn to alternative healing.
According to the Arkansas Naturopathic Physician's Association however, people trained in this field seem to be leaving the state for greener pastures.
This could be changing with a recent bill filed.
Rather than leave for a state that recognizes their field, they could stay here. As it is now, there's no legal way to license a naturopathic practitioner in Arkansas and some who want to practice but follow the law say it has opened the door for people who don't.
Ann Arouh for example is licensed, but only in Oregon. She just helps out in her husbands general practice/primary care physicians office right here in Arkansas.
A recent bill filed in the Arkansas Legislature, House Bill 1011, could allow her to practice the alternative medicine she's educated in and worked hard for.
"It means that I could see patients," Arouh said. "I could do my diagnosis, I could do all the proper intakes, I could do the office procedures, order the labs... take better care of my patients."
House Bill 1011 has only been filed and opened for public comment, still in its beginning stages.
According to the Arkansas Naturopathic Physician's Association however, people trained in this field seem to be leaving the state for greener pastures.
This could be changing with a recent bill filed.
Rather than leave for a state that recognizes their field, they could stay here. As it is now, there's no legal way to license a naturopathic practitioner in Arkansas and some who want to practice but follow the law say it has opened the door for people who don't.
Ann Arouh for example is licensed, but only in Oregon. She just helps out in her husbands general practice/primary care physicians office right here in Arkansas.
A recent bill filed in the Arkansas Legislature, House Bill 1011, could allow her to practice the alternative medicine she's educated in and worked hard for.
"It means that I could see patients," Arouh said. "I could do my diagnosis, I could do all the proper intakes, I could do the office procedures, order the labs... take better care of my patients."
House Bill 1011 has only been filed and opened for public comment, still in its beginning stages.
