Point
of Creation

For TCM & acupuncture

Practice Presence for TCM & Acupuncture Practices

A practice presence for Traditional Chinese Medicine that takes the tradition seriously without falling into cliché. For therapists with OdA KTTC or SBO-TCM diploma and EMR/ASCA recognition.

TCM practices in Switzerland have a specific problem in their presence: images of dragons, bamboo, calligraphic Chinese characters and Yin-Yang symbols have been used so often that patients immediately dismiss them as generic. Someone looking for acupuncture for the first time does not want to walk into a Chinatown restaurant, but into a serious practice.

At the same time, the origin of the method is part of its credibility. Anyone offering TCM while erasing the Chinese tradition entirely comes across as arbitrary. The line runs exactly in between: make the origin visible respectfully, without slipping into tourist symbolism.

In Switzerland TCM (acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Tuina massage, Qigong and dietetics as the five pillars) is covered by supplementary insurance if you hold EMR or ASCA recognition. The federally recognised professional title for the full training is the Naturheilpraktiker EFA with a TCM specialisation (formerly SBO-TCM, now organised under OdA AM). These credentials belong clearly visible in your presence, otherwise patients check whether their insurance covers you at all and give up.

Visually we work with your real rooms, real herb drawers, your needles and your practice reality. If you mix Chinese herbs yourself, that is a strong image. If you cooperate with a pharmacy, that should be transparent as well. What does not work: stock images of needles in flawless back skin against a black background.

Linguistically we run two tracks: TCM has its own terminology (Qi, meridians, Yin and Yang, the five phases) that matters for expertise. At the same time a patient with migraines, back pain or fertility issues arrives with those Western complaints, not with 'liver Qi stagnation' in mind. We structure the presence so both entry points work: the Western symptom as opening, the TCM view as deeper explanation.

Legally the same applies as for all complementary medicine practices: the Therapeutic Products Act and cantonal health laws prohibit specific promises of cure. 'Acupuncture cures migraines' is not permitted, 'Acupuncture is used for migraines and is documented by the WHO as a meaningful treatment method' is fine. We phrase things so that you stay visible without risking regulatory proceedings.

How we help

01

Tradition without cliché

Make the origin of the method visible respectfully, without slipping into bamboo, dragons and calligraphy. A tone that combines seriousness with tradition.

02

EMR, ASCA & Naturheilpraktiker EFA

The recognition and training anchors placed so patients know without asking whether their supplementary insurance pays.

03

Western entry, TCM answer

The presence structured around Western complaints (migraine, back pain, fertility), with the TCM explanation as a deeper offer.

Frequently asked

How do you show TCM without slipping into Chinatown aesthetics?
Not through symbols (dragons, Yin-Yang, bamboo, Chinese characters as decoration), but through the reality of your practice: real herb drawers, real treatment rooms, a calm and precise visual language. The origin of the method shows in your expertise, not in the imagery.
Does the health insurance really cover acupuncture?
From basic insurance only body acupuncture performed by doctors with an FMH acupuncture certificate. From supplementary insurance more broadly, if you hold an EMR number or ASCA recognition. That belongs transparently in your presence, otherwise patients refuse to pay the bill after treatment.
Do we need a dedicated section for fertility, pregnancy and children?
If you offer this: yes. These three topics are searched for very specifically, and patients want to see that you offer them explicitly and with what additional training (e.g. TCM in reproductive medicine, acupuncture for birth preparation). Without a dedicated section, the search moves on to the next practice.
What about Tuina, Qigong and herbal medicine?
The other four pillars of TCM belong visibly on the site, even if acupuncture is the most familiar entry. Patients sent by a doctor for herbal therapy or looking for Tuina as a gentler alternative to classical massage will only find you if you use those terms.
How do we position ourselves next to doctors with an acupuncture certificate?
Not as competitors, but in a distinct niche. Doctors with FMH acupuncture treat from a school-medical perspective. You treat from the full TCM system. We design the presence so this positioning is clear, without belittling the other side.
Can we advertise studies on effectiveness?
Cite them, yes, with source and in the right context. Cochrane reviews of acupuncture for specific indications (migraine prophylaxis, chronic back pain) are serious anchors. 'Scientifically proven' as a blanket statement is problematic and legally exposed. We phrase precisely.
Is a bilingual presence (German/English) worth it?
In bigger cities and near expat centres almost always. TCM patients from Asian and Anglo-American communities often search primarily in English. A bilingual presence opens this audience to you completely.

New practice? Admin from the same team.

While we design your brand, our sister company Point of Administration takes care of incorporation, accounting, insurance and payroll administration.

pointofadministration.ch ↗

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