By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Some providers of healthcare go beyond the typical “MD” and Western medicine services and modalities. So how can you know what they do is legitimate and helpful?
“It’s the wild west out there in terms of integrative medicine,” said medical doctor Leslie James, who operates a self-named practice in Rochester. “Anyone can call themselves a practitioner. A lot of people are confused about the differences among holistic medicine, naturopathy and functional medicine.
“Integrative medicine is evidence- based, not alternative to conventional medicine. I’d recommend looking for solid training and board certification.”
One she recommends is the American College of Physician Specialist. Any certification offered should be by a third party. The American College of Physician Specialists trains and certifies practitioners. James also advises seeking someone with a fellowship or residency of greater than 1,000 hours to prove proficiency in their training and care.
Staffan Elgelid, professor at Nazareth Physical Therapy, also said that looking for a certifying organization can help.
“Is there an international group doing it?” he said. “Is the acupuncture certified by an outside body? Or did they study it for a weekend? There should be some length to the certifications.”
Online testimonials can hold some weight. However, no one would list a negative testimonial on the company website. Elgelid puts more trust in a general practitioner or a friend suggesting an integrative medical provider.
Online reviews may also shed some light. However, people with a poor experience tend to leave more reviews than people with a positive experience. And some people engage in integrative medicine thinking that its effects will be immediate, such as with prescription drugs.
Elgelid said that a provider should have at least four before you should think that the reviews hold merit.
Check with the Better Business Bureau. Google the name of the organization or provider with “fraud” to see if others have complained about the services offered.
“The majority of the complementary and alternative medicine modalities are long-term and tend to involve lifestyle changes,” Elgelid said. “If you don’t change your lifestyle, it slows the process.”
When talking with a provider, ask about the timeline and by when you should expect to see some improvement. The provider should also be able to share any connections with western medicine providers.
Like James, Elgelid said that some clinics say “integrative medicine” and might have a western medicine person of some sort on staff, but the western and alternative modalities have little to do with each other.
“That’s not integrative medicine,” Elgelid said. “They should discuss patients and refer to each other and have discussions together. That’s important for real integrative medicine.”