Integrating complementary and alternative medicine into conventional primary care: the patient perspective.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to explore perspectives on integrating complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into the conventional primary care setting among patients treated at a large academic family medicine clinic in Texas.


METHODS
We developed and administered a multiple choice questionnaire to evaluate perspectives of 502 patients on integrating CAM into the conventional primary healthcare system. All collected data were statistically analyzed to evaluate responses.


RESULTS
Among study participants, 66% indicated that they had used CAM treatments during the past year, 77% responded that they would be interested in using CAM during the next year, and 55.4% replied that they would like CAM therapies to be provided in their primary care clinic.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of CAM in primary care settings in southern Texas is widespread. However, in this primary care setting, patients would like their family physician to provide and supervise these therapies.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients believe that there is an increased need for family physician involvement in providing and supervising CAM treatments. Our findings are preliminary but can provide a basis for multicenter, cross-cultural studies to further evaluate the patient perspective on the process of integrating CAM into the conventional primary healthcare system so that healthcare policy makers can better address public need.
Frenkel
Moshe
M
CAM Education Project, Department of Family Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. mfrenkel@mdanderson.org
Ben Arye
Eran
E
Carlson
Carol
C
Sierpina
Victor
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013781:Texas