Moving Toward Integrative Care: Rationales, Models, and Steps for Conventional-Care Providers

Abstract

Integration of conventional and complementary care in the United States is driven by the growing use of complementary therapies by patients, limitations in the effectiveness of conventional care for a variety of chronic conditions, a growing emphasis on patient satisfaction as a legitimate outcome of care, and an awareness on the part of insurers and practitioners that complementary approaches can offer a broad array of options that may significantly enhance healing and promote more active patient participation in health maintenance. Many models of integrative care are possible, ranging from the informed practitioner, to fully integrated group practices, to hospital-based and academic center systems of integration. A variety of barriers and challenges can slow the process of integration, including limited personal financial and temporal resources, negative peer opinion, legislative hindrances, and reimbursement shortfalls. This review describes seven models of integrative health care and offers recommendations to conventional-care providers for moving toward the practice of integrative medicine.