This Integrator site will henceforward serve as an archive. I am continuing to publish the Integrator Blog News & Reports via my new site: johnweeks-integrator.com. Take a look! To sign-up to receive my Integrator e-mail content and alerts - I only send 3-4 per month - click on the box at the upper right of this page or click here. Recent editions:
[At the Huffington Post] It is a pleasure every year to look back over the prior 12 months to select the Top 10 for Policy and Action in Integrative Health and Medicine.Here is the list for 2015! Fun this year to see this "changing of the guard" with the relative youth - compared to this writer - of many of these accomplished professionals whose work is highlighted: Katherine Gergen-Barnett, MD, James Maskell, Shamini Jain, PhD, Michele Maiers, DC, PhD and Tabatha Parker, ND. "Like" and "share" - to the extent that you want! - and help celebrate far and wide the work of these leaders. Use the comment field to note any individual or organization that you believe deserved mentioning this year. If you are interested, the Top 10 lists for 2006-2013 are posted here, and that for 2014 is posted here. Here's to the Coming of the Light! Happy Solstice. Enjoy the holidays! Feliz Ano Nuevo!
Special Focus: Integrative Practice in Patient Centered Medical Homes
-IntegratorSpecial Report: Prototypes of MD-Led and ND-Led Integrative Patient-Centered Medical/Health Homes
-Lorilee Schoenbeck, ND: Pioneering a Naturopathic PCMH in Vermont's Health Reform (Part 1) -Center for Natural Medicine: How Portland's Leading Naturopathic, Integrative Center Became a Patient-Centered Medical Home -Lorilee Schoenbeck, ND: Prevention and Quality Improvement in a Naturopathic PCMH in Vermont (Part 2) -Casey Health Institute: EVP/COO Tracey Gersh, PhD on Bridging Integrative Health into a PCMH and Accountable Care Organization
Policy -Health Coaches Introduce Resolution in the House of Representatives -Office of the Inspector General Announces New Strategy on Over-Utilizing Chiropractors -New Newsletter from IHPC's CoverMyCare Campaign
Payment -Michael Traub, ND Reports from Hawaii on Breakthrough with Blue Cross/Blue Shield Plan
Academics & Education -Terrific Set of Research-Clinical-Education-Policy Pre-Conference Workshops for the May 2016 -International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health -High, Diverse Enrollment for AIHM's First Interprofessional Fellowship: 4 Slots Still Open -SCU Partners with and USC for Integrative Care for Men's/Women's Rugby -SCNM Signs MOU with United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) -Bastyr University Offers Masters of Arts in Maternal Child Health Systems Degree
Integrative Centers & Clinical Care -Making Quadruple the Triple Aim - System, Heal Thy Practitioners -Quick Links to Integrative Medicine News in Medical Organizations and Communities: November 2015
Professions & Organizations -Dynamic Chiropractic Survey on the Present Status of the Changing Profession -New Consciousness in Health Initiative Opens Web Portal as GAHMJ Publishes Special Issue on the Biofield -Global Wellness Summit Declares Top 10 Global Wellness Trends -NCCAOM Publishes Three Strategic Goals for the AOM Field
Professions -Health Coaches Introduce Resolution in the House of Representatives -Dynamic Chiropractic Survey on the Present Status of the Changing Profession
Organizations -New Consciousness in Health Initiative Opens Web Portal as GAHMJ Publishes Special Issue on the Biofield -Global Wellness Summit Declares Top 10 Global Wellness Trends -NCCAOM Publishes Three Strategic Goals for the AOM Field
Natural Products -American Botanical Council Publishes Two-Part Series from NIH-Funded Group on Botanical Integrity -Goldenseal and a Form of Aloe Vera Added to California's Carcinogens List -Council for Responsible Nutrition Published Report on Supplement Use: High Use, High Confidence
International -Acupuncturists without Borders Celebrates its 10th Anniversary -Global Integrator Round-up - December 2015
Miscellaneous -J. Weeks' "Winners History for Integrative Health and Medicine" Podcast Available via Functional Forum/Evolution of Medicine -James Gordon, Penny George, Mark Hyman on NPR's "On Being" Talking Medical Transformation
People -Integrative Group Visit Expert Katherine Gergen-Barnett Takes Key Innovation Role at Boston Medical Center Primary Care
December 14, 2015
At the Huffington Post: Report Shares Successes/Challenges in M.D.-Led and N.D.-Led Integrative Patient-Centered Medical Homes One comment: "Oh there are so many successes! One that warms my heart is the people coming in with multiple chronic issues. Then you see them six months later, totally transformed ... They would have never known we existed nor come in had we not been a primary care home." The populations are assigned, including many Medicaid patients. One remarkable early lesson appears to be that integrative care should not be dismissed -- as some do -- as a pastime of wealthy health hobbyists. Another leader comments on an obesity program in a similar population: "With our evidence-based protocol, people are taking off pounds and keeping it off. It's very exciting to remove the diagnosis of obesity from a patient's chart -- and I get to do that a lot." These are among the successes reported, along with challenges, in this summary look, at the Huffington Post, at these pioneering integrative patient-centered medical homes.
Top stories: The WHO’s campaign to limit antibiotic overuse brought to mind the good work of the European integrative medicine community on the topic last year. Check the link. Interesting to see the role of homeopathy in Colombia – a practice featured in works of that nation’s Nobel winner Gabriel Garcia-Marquez. I happily report the belated and important inclusion of traditional healers in the Ebola strategy in Sierra Leone. Infectious diseases are having the positive consequences of bringing diverse practitioners together for a common enemy. More on that soon. Finally, can work on the “biofield” be anything less than “global”? Adam Gopnik’s New Yorker review is a nice opening to an intensive collaboration underway to organize research and consciousness raising about consciousness in healing.
This Integrator feature is a quick capture of highlights from web stories relative to integrative medicine and health in the prior month. Here are 26 involving medical delivery systems and 14 more in communities. Included are the remarkable developments in the "biofield" led by Shamini Jain, MD, Deepak Chopra and others; David Katz, MD's decision to take on the "polarization-based medicine" anti-CAM/IM tribe; expansion of the mindfulness program for educators and clinicians at Georgetown University; very favorable coverage on acupuncture's coming of age in Time and US News & World Reports; and Ronald Hoffman, MD challenging recent negative reports on dietary supplements. Enjoy the skim of activities!
Martin Milner, ND, founder the 6,500 square foot Center for Naturopathic Medicine as a beacon of light in a dark age for his profession over 30 years ago. Three years ago he chose to move the 12-pratitioner center to become what it is now: a Level 3 certified a patient-centered primary care medical home for Care Oregon. In this article, Melissa Porter, the center's chief operations person and quarterback of the transition shares the store of the changes made, and early outcomes. This article is produced as part of a recent partnership between the Project for Integrative Health and the Triple Aim (PIHTA) and the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE) for which the Integrator is providing media support.
In this second of a two part interview with pioneering naturopathic patient-centered medical home (PCMH) operator Lorilee Schoenbeck, ND, the focus turns to the prevention and quality improvement initiatives in place at her center, Mountain View Natural Medicine. Here is a look at the initiatives in immunizations, obesity, colonoscopy, dyslipedemia and more in this NCQA-scored, Level 2 PCMH. This article is produced as part of a partnership between the Project for Integrative Health and the Triple Aim (PIHTA) and the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE) for which the Integrator is providing media support. The goal of the PIHTA-NABNE partnership is to stimulate understanding of naturopathic integrative patient centered medical homes (PCMH) via portraits of clinics in Vermont and Oregon.
The news could surprise many. In the state of Vermont - as in Oregon - naturopathic physicians can, and do, operate accredited primary care medical homes (PCMHs). In Vermont, naturopathic physicians do so following a steady stream of up-regulation over the past 20 years. Licensing. Recognition as part of the state's primary care matrix. Insurance coverage. Medicaid inclusion. Most recently, in 2011, inclusion as accepted owners and operators of PCMHs under the state's single-payer style Vermont Blue Print for Health - and 2013, the first PCMH designation. That designee was the Mountain View Natural Medicine center in Burlington. The pioneering force behind this opportunity in Vermont is naturopathic physician Lorilee Schoenbeck, ND. Her center is presently a Level 2 PCMH under a system of scoring carried out by analysts from the most significant accreditor of PCMHs nationwide, NCQA. This is the first of two parts. The second will focus on prevention and clinical improvement initiatives. This article is produced as part of a recent partnership between the Project for Integrative Health and the Triple Aim (PIHTA) and the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE) for which the Integrator is providing media support. The goal of the PIHTA-NABNE partnership is to stimulate understanding of naturopathic integrative patient centered medical homes (PCMH) via portraits of clinics in Vermont and Oregon.
The executive vice president and COO of the Casey Health Institute (CHI), Tracey Gersh, PhD came to the ground-breaking, Maryland-based integrative health center from roles as administrator and program developer at a nearby federally qualified health center (FQHC). In this article, Gersh describes the movement of CHI into becoming a patient centered medical home recognized by Care First, Maryland's Blue Cross/Blue Shield firm, then its move to become part of a new accountable care organization, Aledade, with a set of 5 other primary care clinics. She speaks to thedifferences between CHI and the Federally Qualified Health Center where she previously worked. This article is the fourth in a partnership between the Project for Integrative Health and the Triple Aim (PIHTA) and the Casey Health Institute (CHI) for which the Integrator is providing media support. The goal of the PIHTA-CHI partnership is to stimulate understanding of integrative primary care medical homes (PCMH) via a multi-faceted look at the model CHI is creating. PIHTA is an initiative of the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC).
Policy -Harvard Team Promotes Mind-Body Practice as "Vaccination" after Finding 43% Reduction in Use of Healthcare Services -American Public Health Association Resolution Includes Language from Chiropractors, Others, Elevating Integrative Approaches against Opioid Overuse -Take Action! IHPC Joins Campaign to Guarantee Quality GMO Labeling -APHA Panel Explores Sustainability and the USA Dietary Guidelines Issue, Points to 2020 Redux Advances on Section 2706/Non-Discrimination -National Sustainable Business Council, Holistic Chamber and IHPC Host Webinar on2706 and the Value of Integrative Practitioners -International Chiropractic Association Endorses IHPC's Cover My Care Initiative (2706) -Oregon Suit by Naturopathic Doctors on 2706 Draws Counterpunch from Health Net Integrative Care -Hello Gabby! Boston Group Uses "Embodied Conversational Agent" to Enhance Integrative Medicine Group Visits -Upper Chesapeake Health Links with Maryland University of Integrative Health for Integrative Care -Pharmacy Times Offers Financials Portrait of Dallas-Based Integrative Flower Mound Pharmacy and Herbal Alternatives -Quick Links to Integrative Medicine News in Medical Systems and Communities: October 2015 -Is Regular Medical Delivery Creating Openness through New "Rules for Radical Redesign"? Integrative Academics -Bastyr University Begins First MPH Program in an Integrative Health Institution Research & Evidence -David (Katz) vs the Science-Based Medicine Goliath: Who is the Science Denier? -Character Assassination at Wikipedia? The Battle over Deepak Chopra -Update on the Council for Ayurvedic Research: Rioux in Two Key Roles -PERL Webinar Series Explores Important of Competency in Evidence Informed Practice -Parkinson's Researcher Laurie Mischley, ND, MPH, PhD(c) with Michael J. Fox Foundation Organizations -First AIHM Congress Draws 900, Fuels Interprofessional Fellowship, Boosts Membership, Dream-Builders, and Association Leadership Council -Samueli Institute Reports on Chronic Pain Breakthrough Collaborative in the IHI Model -NCMIC Foundation's Investments in ACCAHC Initiatives Surpasses $100,000 -Chiropractors Initiate Campaign for Medicare Equality and Full Physician Status International -Former Ornish Team Members Scherwitz and Kesten Lead Lifestyle Conference in Ecuador -Global Integrator Round-Up from Global Advances in Health and Medicine for October 2015 Miscellaneous -Boston Patriots QB Tom Brady Advocates for Integrative Model -Is There a Role for You in Right Language to Release the River of Health from the Medical Industry? People -David O'Bryon, JD the new Chair of the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care -Anne Doherty, LAc, MPH Chairs APHA Section on Integrative and Traditional - Gladys Mc Garey, Jean Watson and Deborah Szekely Honored by AIHM
This Integrator feature is a quick capture of highlights from stories on the web relative to integrative medicine in the prior month. Here are 31 involving medical delivery systems and 13 more in communities. Included is the remarkable move in Oregon Medicaid to cover massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and naturopathic services in pain treatment with the intent to limit opioid addiction. Check the effective, short interview with Penny George, the first Bravewell chair. Great post from Yale IM leader David Katz, MD, MPH taking on the polarization-based medicine leaders. Out in the community, naturopathic and homeopathic clinician and educator Amy Rothenberg, ND offers a short series of videos on her own cancer experience.
The Nobel to Tu Youyou and follow-up commentary definitely dominated the traditional medicine news this month. Hope some of you will enjoy my capture of themes in the global media coverage. It keeps pouring out. There was other big news: amazing outcomes on the effect of a mind-body intervention in limiting use of health services. The huge reductions led a colleague to say: “If a drug had shown this impact, think of the coverage!” Meantime, a powerful debate is continuing to brew in the United States over the whole system view that perhaps dietary guidelines should include sustainability concerns. What do you think? Finally, my own very positive homebirth experiences mean that the news from the Wall Street Journal brings great pleasure.
Research on botanicals at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) has engendered controversy from NCCIH's earliest days as NCCAM. Methods, doses, preparations and priorities were bitterly questioned. So when the American Botanical Council chose to publish a perspective from NCCIH's botanicals chief on the "Past and Future Research at National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) with Respect to Botanicals," it seem time for an Integrator Forum: What Are Your Views on NCCIH's Past and Future for Botanical Research? Here are the view of commentators: Paul Bergner, Bevin Clare, MS, RH(AHG), Bill Egloff, Tori Hudson, ND, Sheila Kingsbury, ND, RH(AHG), Michael Levin, Beth Pimentel, ND, LM, William Reddy, LAc, DiplAc, Researcher(Anon), James Snow, RH(AHG), Michael Timms, PhD, and Eric Yarnell, ND. I follow with comments. If you have something to add, please send your comments to
for future publication.
Policy -Whole System Approach Slapped Down: Federal Panel Rejects Sustainability in Dietary Guidelines -RAND Report Engages Critical Issue: Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Modalities or Professions? -From Pills to Pins: Oregon Said to Be Changing Its Approach to Back Pain Clinical Care -Cory Jecmen, MAc, LAc: An Acupuncturist/Tech Player in Casey Health Institute's Integrative PCMH -Chinese Herb Strategy at the Cleveland Clinic: Insights from Jamie Starkey, LAc, Program Director -Detroit Free Press Profiles the Yoga Therapy Program & School at Beaumont Hospital -Quick Links to Integrative Medicine News in Medical Systems and Communities: September 2015 Academics -Yo San University Receives $1-Million from the Thomas Blount Trust -Former Watergate Lawyer Sherman Cohn in 15th Year Offering "CAM" Seminar at Georgetown Law -Canadian Naturopathic College Partners with Rwanda Researchers: Benefit Found for Selenium in People with HIV Organizations -AANP Gains Congressional Endorsements for Inclusion of Naturopathic Medicine in Veteran's Health -Who Is a Doctor, a Physician, a Modality, or a Profession? For AIHM, Language Matters Awards -Nobel Prize Based on a Traditional Chinese Medicine Herb & Text: Turning Point for TCM? -$250,000 Dr. Rogers Prize to University of Toronto Integrative Leader Heather Boon, PhD Miscellaneous -Media Bias: Would This Headline Have Said "Chiropractor" or "Naturopath" If One of These Were the Perpetrator? -Montana's Margaret Beeson, ND Moderates Panel on Marijuana Legalization People -Lou Sportelli, DC Exits NCMIC Group Presidency and Now Leads the NCMIC Foundation -In Memoriam: Pioneering Integrative Medical Doctor Mitchell Gaynor, MD -Iman Majd, MD, LAc Honored as a Seattle Top Doctor in Integrative Medicine -Cleveland Indians' Jamie Starkey, LAc: First Acupuncturists Employed by Major League Baseball Team
Global traditional medicine news is over-flowing with multiple reflections on the meaning of the award of the Nobel Prize in Medicine to Chinese researcher Tu Youyou. The award followed the discovery by Tu and her team on the utility of sweet wormwood (Artemesia annua) to combat malaria. The discovery has saved hundreds of millions of lives. Artemisinin-based drugs are now "routinely used by pharmaceuticals giants like Sanofi and Novartis in the fight against malaria, which still kills half a million people a year." All the Nobel awards, as reported here at Nature, stimulated dialogue in the twitter sphere. Yet it was the award to Tu "of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing, who inspired much of the online discussion." Here are some of the intriguing themes in these media accounts, with some commentary built in. The announcement is here. (This article was first prepared for the Global Integrator Blog for Global Advances in Health and Medicine.)
I initiated this interview with Cory Jecmen, MAc, LAc by noting how unusual it is to find the same individual wearing the dual hats of clinical acupuncturist and electronic medical record (EMR) techie. It's rare enough to find an acupuncturist in a patient-centered medical home (PCMH). Jecmen laughed, reflecting on the integrated environment of which he is part at Casey Health Institute (CHI): "You could probably use all fingers to list my roles." Jecmen, whose professional background includes undergraduate studies in biology and chemistry, plus work as an acupuncturist with the Veteran's Health Administration, describes in this article his experience in helping to shape the CHI initiative. The article is produced as part of a partnership between the Project for Integrative Health and the Triple Aim (PIHTA) and CHI for which the Integrator is providing media support. The goal is to stimulate understanding of integrative patient centered medical homes (PCMHs) via a multi-faceted look at the CHI model.
This Integrator feature is a quick capture of highlights from stories on the web relative to integrative medicine in the prior month. Here are 29 involving medical delivery systems and 10 more in communities. The global nature of the movement is evident in a couple of pieces: Woodson Merrell, MD, co-founder of the Continuum Center in New York, is interviewed on his book for Arab News, and Katherine Gergen-Barnett, MD, the integrative group visits maven, was speaking in Australia. Good to see the news on Beaumont Hospital's inpatient-outpatient Yoga therapy program. Sad to see Newsweek on the bandwagon with Reason.TV in blasting NIH NCCIH. And the rare MD, LAc - Iman Majd - honored as atop integrative doctor in Seattle.
I recently spoke with Jamie Starkey, LAc on the widely reported Chinese herb program she had the lead in founding at the Cleveland Clinic. How did the team get this unique program through? While scores of hospitals and health systems have acupuncturists on staff, this appears to still be the singular Chinese herb program housed in a large medical delivery organization in the United States. The program is located in an outpatient facility. It does not serve inpatients. Starkey spoke to the powerful support of the founding director of the Clinic's integrative medicine center, Tanya Edwards, MD, now deceased. She then described the strategy in detail, including the elaborate sourcing exploration that led to off-site fulfillment by Crane Herbs.
