*Intention*

Intention is the first step in healing. In modern hospitals, sometimes people are healed (so that a problem doesn't return and a new one doesn't show up to take its place), but often this is more like being "fixed." the part that was broken or causing other problems is taken out, replaced, or repaired. not so often, is a holistic view taken at healing the whole body-- in fact, that is not the intention. when a doctor "fixes" someone, they've done just what they set out to do. I don't think that most Western Doctors consider the part that the intention of the patient or of the doctor her/himself plays in the perseverance of a disease.
The intention of Chinese Medicine is a bit different. It operates on the philosophy that a patient's body is made up of Yin and Yang forces/substances which can become out of balance. The intention, including thought, desire, and focus, and by both the patient and the acupuncturist are vital to strength of the healing session.
I don't think that most Western doctors (and perhaps not most acupuncturists) practice to quiet their minds and become centered in their own bodies before they touch their patients and reach their energy out in a way that conjures the same response in the patient. This kind of intention is the recognition energetic continuum between all living things and holds limitless possibilities.