An integrative medicine clinic in a community hospital.
We report on the creation of an integrative medicine clinic within the setting of a medical research and tertiary care hospital. The clinical audit used a prospective case series of 160 new patients who were followed by telephone interviews over a 6-month period. Patients' demographic characteristics, presenting symptoms and diagnoses, physician treatment recommendations, extent of understanding and adherence to treatment recommendations, changes in symptom intensity, and progress toward achieving health objectives were recorded. Patients at the clinic showed significant reductions in the severity of symptoms and made significant progress toward achieving their health objectives at the 6-month follow-up. Thus far, the clinic's experience suggests that an integrative medicine clinic can face current health care financial challenges and thrive in a conventional medical center.
Scherwitz
Larry
L
Institute for Health and Healing, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco 94125, USA. larrys@cooper.cpmc.org
Stewart
William
W
McHenry
Pamela
P
Wood
Claudia
C
Robertson
Lailah
L
Cantwell
Michael
M
D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D004194:Disease / Q000145:classification; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006788:Hospitals, Voluntary; D006801:Humans; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012495:San Francisco; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*