by Lisa J. Tabet
Daily Lobo
The Integrative Medicine Department at UNM Hospital combines complementary and alternative medicine with conventional Western medicine to create more options for patients, hospital administrators say.
Paul Roth, dean of UNM's School of Medicine, said complementary and alternative medicine includes treatments such as herbal remedies, yoga, acupuncture and massage, and although use of these methods dates back to ancient times, their use in modern medicine is relatively new.
"Alternative medicine has mostly antidotal evidence and very little scientific evidence," Roth said. We want to change that by methodically studying things not proven."
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Roth said he hopes to make the hospital's Department of Integrative Medicine consistent with science. The department has three main goals: education, research and clinical service, Roth said, adding that these goals are being met through various programs within the School of Medicine.
"Education is playing a sizeable role in changing the approach to instruction of medical students at UNMH," Roth said. "If nothing else, our medical students should be aware of these alternative practices, even if they don't use them."
Arti Prasad, head of integrative medicine at UNM Hospital, said she encourages her patients to use yoga, relaxation and other complementary therapies to treat chronic conditions. Prasad said her goal is to use alternative medicine to complement Western medicine, rather than replace it.
According to the World Health Organization, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease. Prasad said she is interested in this concept and hopes to further it by integrating alternative medicine with Western medicine.
"Integrative medicine, in my opinion, is taking care of the whole person," Prasad said. "Not focusing on one problem within the body, but looking beyond that."
She said she prefers the term "complementary medicine" to "alternative medicine," because many people can't reconcile alternative medicine to Western medicine. Prasad said that the two can be used to complement each other and effectively heal the patient. She said that patient satisfaction is going downhill, as doctors strive to see an increasing amount of patients and give less time to each of them.
"People like to go to alternative providers because they spend more time with them and can develop a wellness model for their patients, to keep them healthy," Prasad said. "There is more patient empowerment."
She added that she believes New Mexico is an optimum place to practice integrative and alternative medicine.
