Nationally, one in four hospitals now offers therapies in complementary and alternative medicine to address growing demand, according to the American Hospital Association. All 18 hospitals on the U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Hospitals” list provide some form of it.
In Indianapolis, the major hospitals offer varying types of CAM. Several have created “integrative” centers or approaches that blend traditional medicine with acupuncture, massage therapy and clinical aromatherapy, along with nutritional supplements and “healing touch” sessions.
But alternative medicine or integrative therapies aren’t as accepted or widespread in hospitals as they could be. The primary reason: lack of training by healthcare providers. That’s slowly changing as integrative medicine moves into residency training for doctors.
–The News Star, Monroe, Louisiana, March 30, 2009
www.thenewsstar.com