Authors: Eran BenArye Elad Schiff Catherine Zollman Peter Heusser Pablo Mountford Moshe Frenkel Gil BarSela Ofer Lavie
Publish Date: 2013/02/23
Volume: 30, Issue: 2, Pages: 511-
Abstract
The need to integrate complementary medicine CM consultation in supportive care of patients with cancer is acknowledged by oncologists owing to the ongoing research on CM efficacy and awareness of its potential risks In this article we aim to provide oncologists with models for CM integration within supportive care Descriptive analysis of key elements which facilitate CM integration is presented by physicians leading six integrative cancer care programs across four continents Perspectives of integration are supplemented by a literature review quantitative data on the clinical activity in each center and qualitative narrativebased citations of seven oncology patients and healthcare providers It is recommended that CM consultation be provided by physicians with extensive CM training The following key elements were identified as essential for integrative program design within oncological supportive care 1 Location of the integrative physician IP room within the oncology department area 2 Required oncologist referral to CM consultation 3 Allocated time to IPoncologist communication 4 Researchbased integrative practice 5 Inclusion of paid professional CM practitioners 6 Institutional cost covered service Integration of CM consultation within oncological supportive care needs to take in account six key elements that ensure highquality evidencebased concomitant integrative practiceThe article is a followup to the UKIsraeli CAMIntegrative Medicine workshop that was held at BnaiZion Medical Center in Haifa Israel with the support of the Israeli Society for Complementary Medicine the UK College of Medicine Bnai Zion Medical Center the TechnionIsrael Institute of Technology Lin Medical Center of Clalit health services and the Academic Study Group for Israel and the Middle East
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