Integrating Medicine: Variously described as integrated medicine or integrated healthcare, the burgeoning field of complementary therapies used alongside conventional treatments is one of the fastest growing areas of healthcare around the world.
The recently published report of the national working group on the regulation of complementary therapists in Ireland noted how complementary therapies have been used for some time in the area of palliative care.
And there is considerable research evidence pointing to the benefits of therapies such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, massage therapy and osteopathy in the treatment of chronic muscle and joint conditions.
The Centre for Integrative Care at Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital (GHH) is an example of a state-funded healthcare provider offering complementary therapies alongside conventional treatments.
At the GHH, patients can be treated using orthodox medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, herbalism and physical therapies such as massage, the Alexander Technique and Pilates.
Good nutrition and self-help approaches such as meditation are also available. The healthcare staff are trained both medically and in their specialist complementary therapy.
The Glastonbury Health Centre in England also showed how the use of complementary therapies in a conventional setting not only benefits the patients but can also cut medical costs (fewer GP consultations, fewer secondary referrals and lower drug use) and free up services for those in need of conventional treatment.
One study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, showed positive psychological, clinical and pathological effects of relaxation training and guided imagery during chemotherapy.
In this four-part series beginning today, we will look at the development of integrated healthcare in the treatment of specific conditions and illnesses in Ireland. We start the series with a look at the use of complementary therapies within cancer support centres.