Thesis Statement: While standardized policies and practices are inadequate for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), integrative medicine should be a vital component of patient care.
Write
In 250 to 300 words, address the following points:
- Discuss the issue or topic that you researched.
- Explain how this issue affects your academic major or professional field.
- Identify three sources you have located.
- Make connections between your own perspective on the issue and the ideas shared in the articles.
Integrative health aims for well-coordinated care among different providers and institutions by providing conventional and complementary approaches to healthcare for the whole person. In my career path as Healthcare Services Coordinator, there is a rooted desire to improve patient care. I have chosen to research complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM is the term for medical products and practices that are not standard medical care. Patients often use complementary and alternative approaches from their medical doctor to deal with chronic health problems, treat symptoms, or stay healthy. In today’s day and age, we recognize more and more about our bodies’ effects with what we put inside of them. Integrative medicine has emerged as a promising model of care, increasingly finding a home in academic medical centers, hospitals, and healthcare systems.
As complementary and alternative therapies have quickly become an integral part of healthcare in the United States, it will be interesting to learn its future impact on patients’ quality of care. CAM is rising in popularity, and evidence supports its place in healthcare. Several motivating factors include the desire to have more time and a better relationship with providers; others want to try more natural methods or take an integrative approach to their healthcare.
Attaining a sense of well-being is essential in cases where a cure is not always possible. The benefits are likely reduced patient distress and pain and lowered associated hospital costs. Integrative health services can take the form of consultation, stand-alone clinic, or primary service. Alternative medicine practitioners typically emphasize one-on-one attention because of different philosophies and fee structures. Most integrative providers prescribe treatments agreeable to scientific investigation and are interested in the idea that positive emotions can improve health. However, patients are not discouraged from using specific therapies if the proposed remedies are safe. Some people feel more in control when more involved in their health.
The following sources explain complementary and alternative medicine, integrative health, and changing patient-centered care. In many cases, as evidence of efficacy and safety grows, these therapies are being combined with conventional medicine. Thus, the term alternative has been dropped and replaced with newer terms, such as complementary and integrative medicine, integrative medicine and health, or just integrative medicine.
Sources:
Gannotta, R., Malik, S., Chan, A. Y., Urgun, K., Hsu, F., & Vadera, S. (2018). Integrative Medicine as a Vital Component of Patient Care. Cureus, 10(8), e3098. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.3098
Maizes, V., Rakel, D., & Niemiec, C. (2009). Integrative medicine and patient-centered care. Explore (New York, N.Y.), 5(5), 277–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2009.06.008
Making the case for Integrative Health Care | healthcare… (n.d.). Retrieved January 13, 2022, from https://www.usnews.com/news/healthcare-of-tomorrow/articles/2017-11-09/making-the-case-for-integrative-health-care
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.).Complementary, alternative, or Integrative Health: What’s in a name? National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved January 13, 2022, from ps://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/complementary-alternative-or-integrative-health-whats-in-a-name