Keep docs in the loop on complementary treatments
Keep docs in the loop on complementary treatments
Integrative medicine center does not stand alone
When clients enter the Center for Integrative Medicine at O’Connor Hospital in San Jose, CA, they walk into a spa-like environment. There is a fountain, big palm plants, couches, and little cafe tables with comfortable chairs. "It is very different from walking into a normal clinic," says Tim Levers, program director at the center located across the street from the hospital.
There are other factors that set the center apart in addition to its atmosphere. One, for example, is the amount of time the practitioner spends with the patient. Physician visits last a minimum of half an hour and often run an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the needs of the patient. Sessions with practitioners, such as an acupuncturist, include patient counseling and education.
"People who have not been here for alternative therapies always spend time with the doctor, and he goes through the different types of therapies they might want to look at and their efficacy rates. He also does a patient assessment," explains Levers.
While patients may have a sense of being pampered as if at a spa, the center’s medical model sets high standards for care. The medical director, Sylver Quevedo, MD, oversees the patient care and practitioners. A physician lead, or practitioner at a doctorate level, also provides oversight for the different modalities. For example, a PhD psychologist oversees counseling and spirituality.
There is a stringent credentialing process for each practitioner, as well. Each modality has a job description that includes the licensing requirements and number of hours of practice the practitioner must have in order to be hired. The human resources department conducts the background checks, and staff at the Center for Integrative Medicine conduct a hands-on interview by having the practitioner demonstrate his or her skills on them.
If the practitioner meets all the criteria for the job, the information is given to the credentialing committee, which is a panel of physicians. If ap-proved, the individual is authorized to practice at the center. Currently, the Center for Integrative Medicine is staffed with a multidisciplinary team of 15 health care professionals.
Physicians refer about 35% of the patients treated at the center. The referring physician is kept apprised of the progress of the treatments the patient is undergoing. While self-referred patients are welcome to walk in, if they are requesting an invasive procedure, such as acupuncture, the center encourages them to get a referral from their physician. "We want to integrate, we don’t want to be considered a freestanding center where it’s basically us against them. We want our services to be more of a team approach," says Levers.
The center has experienced a steady growth, between 15% and 30% since it opened in May 1999. The first month, only eight patients were seen, but now numbers average between 220 and 260 monthly. That was all accomplished without a lot of promotion, says Levers. Flyers announcing the new service were mailed to O’Connor Hospital’s patient list. (For information on the center’s business model, see article at right.)
Several services offered
What patients find at the center is a wide array of therapies, as well as educational and support programs. Consultations with physician specialists and holistic nurses are available for assessment, consultation, education, and follow-up care. Also available are nutritional counseling, spiritual care, meditation, psychological care, massage and body work, osteopathy, biofeedback, and movement therapy such as yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi-gong.
A variety of classes are offered at the center. Those include sessions in music and sound healing, massage and body work, and nutrition. Health care professionals can take several of the classes for continuing education units. Some intensive workshops are scheduled such as Ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest healing systems. The 30-day wellness program helps people achieve physical, mental, and emotional balance.
While the various modalities are currently confined to the outpatient setting, a few months ago the Center for Integrative Medicine was authorized by O’Connor Hospital’s medical executive committee to bring them into the inpatient setting. Therefore, staff are busy developing policies and procedures on how to integrate those therapies into conventional medicine.
There are several reasons for the program’s success. The center’s champion physician, Quevedo, is a well-respected member of the medical community. Also, the center never touts the therapies as a cure-all. However, staff have gone on grand rounds to discuss complementary therapies, research that supports them, and case studies of patients where the therapies have been effective.
"We are here to help, not replace conventional medicine. We want to integrate with conventional medicine, and that has been our approach from day one," says Levers.
Source
For more information about the Center for Integrative Medicine at O'Connor Hospital, contact:
• Tim Levers, Program Director, Center for Integrative Medicine at O'Connor Hospital, 455 O'Connor Drive, Suite 170, San Jose, CA 95128. Telephone: (408) 283-7622. Fax: (408) 283-7628. E-mail: [email protected].
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