Integrative Healthcare

Integrative Healthcare versus Integrated Healthcare

Integrated healthcare, integrative practitioner, integral health… all buzzwords of complementary and alternative medicine. But what do these words really mean and what are the implications of these words to the development of integration in our healthcare system?

The Triumph of New-Age Medicine

Medicine has long decried acupuncture, homeopathy, and the like as dangerous nonsense that preys on the gullible. Again and again, carefully controlled studies have shown alternative medicine to work no better than a placebo. But now many doctors admit that alternative medicine often seems to do a better job of making patients well, and at a much lower cost, than mainstream care—and they’re trying to learn from it.

Complementary, Alternative, or Integrative Health: What’s In a Name?

Researchers are currently exploring the potential benefits of integrative health in a variety of situations, including pain management for military personnel and veterans, relief of symptoms in cancer patients and survivors, and programs to promote healthy behaviors.

Integrated care opens new doors to mental health, addiction care

Mental health is a complex issue, and integrated care is no panacea. But it’s a practical, patient-centered solution with proven benefits, which is not easy to come by...

Making the Case for Integrative Health Care

Combining traditional Western medicine with other practices can result in healthier patients – and lower costs.

The Future Of Integrative Health And Medicine

Evidence-based research and solutions to health creation is the focus of the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine and is the only viable solution to our current healthcare crisis of non-communicable chronic diseases. It is time we move from philosophy and ideology to action and transformation.

Three stages in the economics of integrative health

The move to “value”—and thus to exploring the more imbedded use of integrative health strategies as part of fundamental financial and care delivery mission—is a radical shift for the huge medical-industrial complex. Not surprisingly, the process has been slow, and full of heel dragging.

Traditional medicines must be integrated into health care for culturally diverse groups

To effectively tackle health inequities, our health systems need to consider and address the impact of cultural influences on patients’ health-care decisions. This is vital even when the treatments they value may not be grounded in evidence.

Why Health Care Works Better Than Disease Care

If we can address the underlying causes of chronic diseases, which are largely dependent on lifestyle changes, and provide incentives for healthy ways of living rather than reimbursing only drugs and surgery, we can create a new model of medicine that is more caring and compassionate, and that is also more cost effective and competent. The time is now.

Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health

The mission of the Academic Consortium is to advance the principles and practices of integrative healthcare within academic institutions.

Integrated Care News

This is your one-stop site for the latest developments in integrated care.

Integrative Practitioner

IntegrativePractitioner.com is the only interdisciplinary community for integrative practitioners. Our goal is to support the wide spectrum of integrative healthcare professionals and organizations in becoming more successful in their practices to effect positive improvements in the current standards of healthcare, policy, and to strengthen the common ground among all constituents. To support these efforts, the site will be the destination for networking, thought leadership, and sharing of ideas and experiences.

Integrated Health Center

Sharing the wisdom of treating every individual as a whole person rather than a collection of symptoms or fragmenting the body into several disease diagnoses.

Integrated Healthcare Executive

Integrated Healthcare Executive, part of the Population Health Learning Network, profiles leaders and chronicles innovations in the rapidly evolving field of integrated health care.

Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine

The Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine is internationally recognized for its innovative educational programs, evidence-based clinical practice, and research that substantiates the field of integrative medicine and influences public policy.