Abstract

A physical therapist's perspective involves providing exercise instruction that takes into account the patient's living environment, while acupuncturists often lack this perspective. If acupuncturists could adopt the perspective of a physical therapist, we expect they would be able to provide even better acupuncture and moxibustion treatments. Furthermore, if a patient requires welfare services, it is important to collaborate with other professionals. Under Japanese law, physical therapists can perform treatments under a doctor's direction, while acupuncturists can treat patients at their own discretion, without requiring a doctor's supervision. As a result, acupuncturists are often the first to discover problems related to the patient's body and lifestyle due to their frequent contact with patients. However, acupuncturists typically lack the opportunity to learn modern medical and nursing care skills, resulting in gaps in their knowledge of medical and nursing care systems. This hinders their ability to connect patients who need medical or nursing care with the appropriate services. Moreover, in Japan, there is no established framework for acupuncturists to collaborate with other professionals within the nationally led community-based comprehensive care system. Nevertheless, since acupuncturists treat patients directly, they are considered to have an obligation to be equipped with the necessary skills to provide modern medical and nursing care services. Achieving this will require efforts not only from individual acupuncturists but also from the entire acupuncture and moxibustion industry.