THE CASE FOR INTEGRATED MEDICINE:
EAST MEETS WEST

Having had the privilege of practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the last 22 years, I am profoundly grateful to the thousands of patients who have placed their faith in me and in my skills as a clinician. I have learned a great deal attending to their needs. Over the years, I have become concerned about several issues: an increasing number of people suffering chronic illnesses; catastrophic illnesses, such as cancer, striking at younger ages; and chronic problems in children, such as allergies, asthma, and learning / behavioral difficulties.

These may sound like unrelated issues, but I believe they are not. It is my observation that the immune system of those suffering these conditions is stressed beyond its ability to recover, thereby setting the stage for chronic and, sometimes, multiple problems. The human immune system has become weakened by chronic stress. Contributing factors include habitual personal discontent, prolonged unsatisfactory relationships, and the consumption of poor quality food, which also contributes to the deterioration in the integrity of the environment. This toxic state of circumstances can be the foundation upon which chronic illness is built, or activated, if inherited.

Our current health care system is overburdened by these patient complaints. Western medical practitioners don't have time in the current style of practice to understand how these problems came to be. The patient often finds that the recommended medication either doesn't help or causes too many undesirable side effects. I believe that the next best step in the evolution of patient care is an integrated medical model: a form of functional medicine that offers the best of western and eastern approaches.

Western medicine excels at emergency care and surgical intervention when a condition has progressed beyond the level of an "energetic imbalance." An "energetic imbalance" means a "condition for which there is no diagnosis." This is a frustrating answer for the patient, but the complementary health care provider interprets this as good - a workable and resolvable condition. TCM and other forms of natural medicine recognize the potential for developing disease as a result of imbalances of the body, mind, and spirit energy. Thus, the ideal time for treatment is before there is a manifested, diagnosable disease.

When employed regularly, complementary medicine is medicine at its best -- preventive . Western medical diagnostic capabilities well complement the strengths of natural therapies like TCM and homeopathy which are whole systems of medicine for treating all conditions. In some circumstances, a complementary therapy would be the primary therapy and, in others, adjunctive.

I believe that quality patient care is the goal of all medical professionals. Integrated Medicine, in an ideal state, is an approach to patient care that enlists the resources of Western Medicine that are condition-specific to the patient, combined with complementary therapies that treat the whole patient, serving to enhance the quality of life during challenges to health.Patients benefit from an integrated approach because practitioners of complementary care can give supportive treatments, for which the Western Medical model has neither the time nor the tools. Furthermore, guidance and counseling related to lifestyle changes that will assist in recovery is one of the strengths of the complementary medical practitioner.

People complain that the costs of complementary medicine are not covered by insurance. I realize that the out-of pocket expense for treatments such as acupuncture, homeopathy, massage, and others is impossible for some, a sacrifice for others, and a choice for still others. Yet, the undeniable benefits as a result of adding complementary health care to one's life make this choice an important component of overall health. The value nearly all describe as being most important in the delivery of health services is the precious time spent with the health care provider.

Medical doctors are looking for ways to bring the care back into their work for their patients. The integrated medical model offers this opportunity.  Each component of this equation -- the doctor, the patient, and the complementary health care provider -- all have a role in creating healthier relations with one another and, as a consequence, abundant good health.

We grew up in the western medical world believing that our doctors have all the answers. Yet, when they pronounce us ill, hopelessness often befalls us. Whether due to being diagnosed with a chronic condition that requires medication for the rest of  our lives, or learning we have a life-threatening illness that will require drastic treatment measures, we lose hope. Integration of both medical models will provide the hope and care that all patients deserve.