INTEGRATING COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE AND HEALTH-CARE SERVICES INTO PRACTICE

Complementary medicine and health care services constitute a significa nt proportion of the use of health care services in Canada, despite a history of limited acceptance of these therapies by the medical profes sion. However, physician attitudes appear to be changing. A survey of a random sample of general practitioners in Quebec (see page 29 of thi s issue) shows that four out of five general practitioners perceive at least one of three complementary health care services to be useful. S imilar surveys of samples in Alberta and Ontario suggest that physicia ns there, although somewhat less enthusiastic than their counterparts in Quebec, have also begun to be more open-minded about these types of therapies. However, physicians have reported little understanding of complementary health care services, which suggests the need for more r esearch on and education about these services. The Medical Society of Nova Scotia has responded to this need by establishing a Section of Co mplementary Medicine. The authors believe that fair, accountable, scie ntific and rigorous research on complementary therapies will benefit p hysicians and patients. The problems inherent in applying reductionist analysis to a holistic approach to care can be largely circumvented b y focusing on outcomes research. In light of the popularity of these t herapies, inquiry into patient use of complementary health care servic es should become a part of a complete patient history. This measure wo uld promote greater patient-physician communication and integration of complementary health care services into patient care.