A few health care organizations are turning to CAM to treat chronic conditions.
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| Sita Ananth |
By 2010, some 141 million individuals are expected to have chronic conditions; this group accounts for 78 percent of all health care spending. Clearly, there is a dire need for sustainable, cost-effective and safe therapies.
Many of the goals of chronic care—including boosting the body’s immunity; preventing complications; achieving the highest quality of bio-psycho-socio-spiritual life; and dying with peace, comfort and dignity—can be well-served through complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities, which can be both safe and cost-effective.
The research has shown us that between 30 percent and 70 percent of patients with chronic illnesses use CAM in addition to conventional medicine. The conditions for which the CAM therapies are being sought are cardiovascular disease, arthritis, AIDS/HIV, cancer and chronic pain. However, our biomedical health care system, which was built around the treatment of infectious disease and trauma care, is simply not equipped to deal with the aging population and the rise of chronic illness.
The CAM Approach
A few innovative projects are addressing this challenge. At St. John’s Health Plans in Springfield, Mo., Lance Luria, M.D., F.A.C.P., has identified a group of patients with chronic conditions and chronic pain who were on the path to very expensive interventions such as spinal cord stimulators.
Recognizing the need not only to manage and individualize the care for these complex cases, but also to find a lower-cost and holistic approach, Dr. Luria has developed and is testing a protocol that applies an integrative approach and includes acupuncture, massage, yoga, counseling and self-care. He strongly believes in helping patients set short- and long-term goals for recovery and helping the body heal itself by transferring the locus of control back to the patient. What is unique is that this intervention is being conducted before the patients are treated with more invasive or high-cost remedies.
At Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minneapolis, Michele Maiers, D.C., is conducting a randomized clinical trial that is testing an integrative, multidisciplinary approach (consisting of acupuncture and Oriental medicine, chiropractic, cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise, massage, medication and self-care education) to chronic back pain. Results of her research will be available next year.
Additionally, the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, universities, foundations and other scientific research organizations such as the Samueli Institute, have a wealth of research data that demonstrate the effectiveness of specific modalities for chronic conditions.
Researching the integrative model of care delivery, which offers cost savings potential, patient satisfaction and health outcomes, is much needed and will help build a strong business case for integrative health.
Sita Ananth, M.H.A., is director of knowledge services, optimal healing environments, for The Samueli Institute in Alexandria, Va. She is also a regular contributor to H&HN OnLine.
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