It ain't going away...

A recent Stamford Advocate article discusses the medical community’s recent acceptance of alternative medicine.

Just a decade ago, many Americans had never heard of integrative medicine, also known as alternative or complementary medicine, yet in a short time, holistic treatments have affected the way hospitals care for their patients.

It’s exciting to me to think about how quickly alternative medicine has gained popularity. Just a few years ago, many people hadn’t heard of it and thought of it as, more less, a joke. Its popularity corresponds with the rising cost of health care—people are obviously looking for an alternative to expensive medical treatments. The medical community, who has consistently rejected alternative treatments, has now become aware of the growth of the trend, and is integrating ways for alternative practices to “complement” traditional medicine.

The article presents statistics that reflect the acceptance of alternative practices.

A November 2007 survey by the American Hospital Association found that 37 percent of responding hospitals offered one or more integrative therapies for patients or staff.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the percentage of medical schools offering a required course in integrative medicine increased from 26 percent in 2001 to 91 percent for the graduating class of 2009.

Brodsky, the doctor interviewed in the article, says the success of his center, Greenwich Hospital's Center for Integrative Medicine, “lies in the doctors' and nurses' focus on more than just treatments.”

And because the center is operated in conjunction with the hospital, its treatments are intended to complement any traditional medicine patients may be undergoing. Patients are also encouraged to be open with their physicians about holistic care, since the hospital has come to accept this type of care as legitimate treatment.

Stamford Hospital represents a new wave of medicine or the future of medicine. Soon many more hospitals will offer alternative treatments as the demand for such practices increases across the country.

It’s all in the numbers. If you’re not a fan of alternative medicine, it’s too bad. Get over it because it’s not going anywhere. It’s only going to spread—like an epidemic.