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background resources in PDF |
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some CAM/IM publication links |
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Issues #19 and #20 - Jan 2007 |
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Written by John Weeks
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Sunday, 18 February 2007 |
Issues #19 & #20 - January 2007
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January 25, 2007 mailing - Issue #20
January 25, 2007
America Online founder Steve Case's Revolution Health web platform
officially opened last week in a move which mainstream media is viewing
as a battle of the titans - Revolution versus Web MD. From the Integrator
perspective, the site opening is more local and personal. The local is
that integrated health care for Revolution Health is overseen by Integrator
advisor Bradly
Jacobs, MD, MPH. The personal is that Jacobs invited me to be an
"expert blogger" on Revolution's site and I am doing so. Jacobs and I have begun cooking up a
dialogue, born from your comments on the Integrator investigation of Washington State's denial of
Cancer Treatment Centers of America's plans to build an integrated cancer hospital. The idea: rate
hospitals for their level of integration. Jacobs lays down his ideas
for "integrative medicine light" and "integrative medicine medium" and
"integrative medicine robust." What do
you think are the markers for a quality integrative medicine program?
January 25, 2007
After news broke December 19th that suggested that black cohosh would
become another in a growing line of supplements not supported by
results from major NIH research grants, the American Botanical
Council swiftly
issued a detailed response. The argument: the media was
in-appropriately judging the botanical, used to control hot-flashes,
based on one study when "the majority of published trials" have found
the herb effective. The response, developed by ABC's executive director
Mark Blumenthal with the assistance of a top-notch set of botanical
researchers including Mary Hardy, MD, Gail Mahady, PhD, Fredi
Kronenberg, PhD, Francis Brinker, ND and Daniel Fabricant, PhD. The ABC
work is a strong rebuttal to the media's quick dismissal of the
well-researched and widely-used herb.
January 25, 2007
In early 2004, a new entity emerged on the integrated healthcare scene,
the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care
(ACCAHC). In the ensuing three years under the direction of Pamela Snider, ND,
ACCAHC has made significant strides in the areas of education, research
and policy as an action-oriented multi-disciplinary project. Born and
nurtured as part of the 501c4 Integrated Healthcare Policy Consortium
(IHPC), ACCAHC is now taking steps toward its independence as a
stand-alone, dues-based and grant-supported 501c3 entity. This article
notes ACCAHC accomplishments, an executive director transition and
plans for a $30,000 grant from the organization's founding backer, Lucy
Gonda.
For more on ACCAHC, go to www.ihpc.info
and click on ACCAHC.
January 24, 2007
Washington
state's block of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) effort
to build an inpatient hospital is viewed as a "travesty" by integrative
medicine leader Sheila Quinn. Quinn describes her tour of a CTCA
facility, and a non-integrated hospital experience she had with one of
the CTCA competitors ... Oregon leader in naturopathic medicine Noel
Peterson, ND, wonders whether "integration light" isn't like "BP and
Exxon-Mobil marketing themselves as 'green corporations'" ... Naturopathic student researcher Vanessa Esteves notes how the diverse
integration strategies described in the Integrator article "make it
dufficult for "true integration models ot stand out in the crowd" ... Holistic medicine veteran Bill Manahan, MD, views the Washington action against CTCA as an act of the medical monopoly ... All written in response to: Will "Integration Light" by Competing Hospitals Kill CTCA's Plans for an Inpatient Facility?
January 21, 2007
The two national organizations which have engaged a divisive battle for
14 years to represent the nation's licensed acupuncturists have
re-united as the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental
Medicine (AAAOM). A press release from the new organization announced
that the members of the former American Association of Oriental
Medicine and the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance will
immediately become members of the new entity. Leaders hope that the
unified AAAOM will soon grow into a 10,000 member organization from the
presently anemic level of dues paying members.
January 20, 2007
In 1999, Integrator sponsor Alternative Medicine Integration Group (AMI) began a unique project
through HMO Illinois, a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan. Chiropractic doctors originally served as the project's only primary care providers (PCPs) inside a
broader network of conventional medical doctors. AMI has since added some integrative MDs and osteopaths to its PCP panel. The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
recently accepted for publication a report on seven years and
70,274 member months of AMI experience with BCBS. Utilization data on hospital admissions, lengths of stay,
pharmaceutical costs and outpatient surgeries were all between 59% and
85% less than the utilization by the HMO's typical population accessing care through conventional PCPs. This is the second JMPT
publication on the project, but the first in which outcomes of other
CAM-oriented PCPs are reported.
January 20, 2007
On January 16, the New York Times
published an essay by supplement-bashing author Dan Hurley entitled
"Dietary Supplements and Safety: Some Disquieting Data." Michael Levin,
an Integrator advisor who has held executive level positions in
both pharmaceutical and dietary supplement companies, immediately
researched Hurley's core assertions and discredited them. Here is the
full letter to the editor which Levin has shipped off to the New York Times.
Are clear thinking and accuracy of interest to this staid daily? Truth
is presently again a casualty in Hurley's war against supplements.
January 14, 2007 mailing - Issue #19
January 14, 2007
The American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF), founded in 1992,
focuses its federal and state action on protecting access to
alternative/integrative medicine and dietary supplements. AAHF sent an
early 2007 message announcing organizational growth and a number of
significant new initiatives. So what happened? Where did the money
come from to stimulate AAHF's new activity? Where will the AAHF focus its
federal lobbying work? The Integrator contacted
Brenna Hill, AAHP executive director, for some background and clarity
on where AAHF is headed in its efforts, as it has clarified the AAHF
mission, to "protect the right of the consumer to choose and the
practitioner to practice." The Integrator reflects on the Janus face of our uneasy overlapping of the politics of polarization with the politics of integration.
January 13, 2007
Boston Globe:
The New England School of Acupuncture and the med school at Tufts are
in a unique inter-institutional program on pain management ... Arizona Daily Star:
The City of Tucson is meeting with Andrew Weil, MD around the
possibility of energizing an inner city development with an integrative
center ... Chicago Tribune: The MD battle against licensing naturopathic physicians grows in the AMA's home state as NDs push for licensing ... Press Release, Ontario:
The government announced a plan to modernize regulation of naturopathic
medicine through a college which will also oversee the practice of homeopathy .. New York Times: Results of massage study for arthritis of the knee led by Adam Perlman, MD, MPH creates media buzz ...
January 13, 2007
David Schleich,
PhD picked to lead the mothership of modern naturopathic medicine, the
now multi-purpose National College of Natural Medicine ... Strong
conference turnout for the True North Center conference headed by
Bethany Hays, MD, FACOG ... Dana
Ullman, MPH is developing a widely-endorsed project that may give
homeopathy a major visibility boost ... AMTA selects M.K. Brennan to track toward organization's presidency ... Karen Koffler, MD,
back from Israel lands medical director job with Canyon Ranch in Miami
... Tai Sophia Institute earns business ward from Howard County Chamber of
Commerce ... Gary Sandman lands key client for his Signature
Supplements line ... Next steps for the 100,000 Lives Campaign ...
January 11, 2007
Complementary Healthcare Plans is Portland, Oregon's home-grown managed
complementary care network. Begun as a chiropractic managed care
company, the firm added acupuncture, massage therapy and naturopathic
medicine services in the late 1990s, then a discount or "affinity"
product which includes an array of benefits to employees or members of
the corporations and insurers with which CHP contracts. It's largest
client is Kaiser Permanente Northwest. The Integrator spoke
with Chuck Simpson, DC, a CHP founder and its vice president and
medical director about the state of the managed-CAM market in Portland,
Oregon.
January 6, 2007
The Integrator
is now nine months and 18 issues old. This report is to readers and
participants based on action in calendar year 2006. What is the number
of readers and users of the site? What articles most caught your
interest? Who has
"subscribed" or sent along a donation? (Thanks to all who did!) Is the business model functioning and sustainable? What marketing has been engaged and how has it worked? Welcome to the Integrator Annual Report to Readers for 2006.
January 4, 2007
The Integrative Medicine for Healthcare Organizations conference sponsored by Health Forum/American Hospital Association is a premier event each year in the complementary and alternative medicine and integrative medicine
(CAM/IM) field. The 5th Annual meeting, to be held in San Diego April
12-14, is again organized by Sita Ananth, MHA, who leads CAM for Health
Forum. The program includes both beginning, nuts-and bolts
presentations and leadership keynotes for the experienced who want to
take their operations to a next level. Keynoters include "urban
cultural anthropologist" Jennifer James, PhD, and Wayne Jonas, MD, and
three hospital CEOs who offer their IM perspectives. Among the
presenters is yours truly on the Integrator Top 10 for 2007.
December 30, 2006
Cancer
Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) wants to build a 24 bed inpatient
facility in the greater Seattle area. But CTCA's application for a
Certificate of Need (CON) from the State of Washington Department of
Health (DOH) has been twice denied. CTCA, known nationally for its
pioneering, integrated cancer treatment, argued that its
multi-disciplinary, fully-integrative approach was not available
elsewhere in the region. Yet, on review of web-based materials from a
list of competing hospitals, the DOH denied CTCA's claim. The Integrator
approached this article as a Seattle-area consumer. First, CTCA's
deeply integrated web presence is explored. Then we visit websites of
the competing hospitals the DOH cited as claiming "comprehensive" or
"integrated" programs. Do you agree with the DOH's finding? Might the
marketing of integration be an over-statement? Which of these reflect
action in your own hospitals. Take a look. Then you decide whether
CTCA's plans, and patient choice, are being limited by "integration
light?"
For earlier articles, please click below:
Issues #17 and #18 - Dec 2006
Issues #15 and #16 - Nov 2006
Issues #13 and #14 - Oct 2006
Issues #11 and #12- Sept 2006
Issues #9 and #10 - Aug 2006
Issues #7 and #8 - July 2006
Issues #5 and #6 - June 2006
Issues #3 and #4 - May 2006
Issues #1 and #2 - Apr 2006
All Postings to Aug 15, by Subject Matter
IAYT-Sponsored Series on the Future of Yoga Therapy
Or go to Archive, lower right column, on the home page.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 18 February 2007 )
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Subscribe to the Newsletter |
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On the Revolution Health Site Integrator Readers Stimulate Dialogue on Rating Hospital "Integration"
American Botanical Council Organizes Strong Counter to Unbalanced Media on Recent Black Cohosh Research
Major Blue Cross Blue Shield Savings from CAM-Oriented PCP Program to be Published in JMPT
Disquieting Journalistic Ethics: Michael Levin Challenges New York Times and Dietary Supplement Basher Dan Hurley
American Association for Health Freedom Strengthens Organization, Steps up Federal and State Action
Will
"Integration Light" by Competing Hospitals Kill Cancer Treatment
Centers of America's Plans for an Inpatient Facility?
