Thursday
Feb242011
Integrative Medicine
The integrative approach is utilizing conventional medicine to diagnose a patient while relying on alternative therapy for treatment or to enhance health. According to Andrew T. Weil M.D., a leading advocate of integrative medicine, the defining aspects of integrative medicine is that there is appropriate use of conventional and CAM methods; patient participation is mandatory; focus on health promotion and disease prevention; and a preference for natural, minimally-invasive methods
He describes the principles of integrative medicine:
- A partnership between patient and practitioner in the healing process
- Appropriate use of conventional and alternative methods to facilitate the body's innate healing response
- Consideration of all factors that influence health, wellness and disease, including mind, spirit and community as well as body
- A philosophy that neither rejects conventional medicine nor accepts alternative therapies uncritically
- Recognition that good medicine should be based in good science, be inquiry driven, and be open to new paradigms
- Use of natural, effective, less-invasive interventions whenever possible
- Use of the broader concepts of promotion of health and the prevention of illness as well as the treatment of disease
- Training of practitioners to be models of health and healing, committed to the process of self-exploration and self-development
Do not copy content.
To be read with Dr Prem's Guidebook - Medical Tourism ( Planning & Preparation Section).
Note: Medical Tourism is often interchanged with the terms 'Medical Travel' 'Health Travel' 'Healthcare Travel' 'Health Tourism' 'Cross Border Healthcare' 'Wellness Tourism' and 'Global Healthcare'. Read more about these terms in guidebook.