Expanding Horizons Of Healthcare

The Nat. Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) was established to bring scientific rigor to studies of treatments from acupuncture to Ayurvedic medicine, healing touch to homeopathy, massage to meditation & more. Nearing the end of NCCAM's first 5-year plan, pub. in Sept. 2005, the Center initiated activities to inform & shape a second strategic plan. Part I provides an overview of the Center's first 5 years. Contains an appraisal of how NCCAM has measured up to the goals & objectives in the earlier plan, plus lessons learned, & remaining challenges. Part II presents the new strategic plan itself, designed to guide NCCAM through 2005-2009 -- & beyond, given that many of the goals & objectives are far-reaching. Illus.

This book explores the ways in which Eastern and Western medical knowledge inform each other in the treatment of people in Asia across a wide range of health issues. To do so, it brings together health communication scholars from diverse disciplines both in Hong Kong and worldwide and combines their observations and expertise with those of clinicians working in healthcare in Asia to provide a topical portrait of the expanding horizons of healthcare in Asia. Social scientists and clinicians discuss their research and clinical practice respectively using a range of analytic approaches that include traditional qualitative and quantitative methodologies, as well as cutting-edge computer diagnostics that digitally visualize health interactions across time. The book presents an innovative and interdisciplinary investigation of Eastern and Western perspectives on healthcare in Asia. It covers topics concerned with a range of mental and physical problems that are currently confronting Asia. Importantly, the views and experiences of front line clinicians delivering patient care in Asia are also included. Accordingly, the book offers varied and innovative perspectives on health communication issues in China, Singapore, Bangladesh and Australia.

Integration of complementary and alternative medicine therapies (CAM) with conventional medicine is occurring in hospitals and physicians offices, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are covering CAM therapies, insurance coverage for CAM is increasing, and integrative medicine centers and clinics are being established, many with close ties to medical schools and teaching hospitals. In determining what care to provide, the goal should be comprehensive care that uses the best scientific evidence available regarding benefits and harm, encourages a focus on healing, recognizes the importance of compassion and caring, emphasizes the centrality of relationship-based care, encourages patients to share in decision making about therapeutic options, and promotes choices in care that can include complementary therapies where appropriate. Numerous approaches to delivering integrative medicine have evolved. Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States identifies an urgent need for health systems research that focuses on identifying the elements of these models, the outcomes of care delivered in these models, and whether these models are cost-effective when compared to conventional practice settings. It outlines areas of research in convention and CAM therapies, ways of integrating these therapies, development of curriculum that provides further education to health professionals, and an amendment of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act to improve quality, accurate labeling, research into use of supplements, incentives for privately funded research into their efficacy, and consumer protection against all potential hazards.

The 6th edition of this established text is streamlined to a more manageable format, with the Appendices moved to the web-site and a significant shortening of the main text. There is a greater focus on the global analysis of industry and competition; and analysis of the internal environment. In consultation with feedback from their adopters, the authors have concentrated on the fundamentals of strategy analysis and the underlying sources of profit. This reflects waning interest among senior executives in the pursuit of short-term shareholder value. As ever students are provided with the guidance they need to strategic planning, analysis of the health services environment (internal and external) and lessons on implementation; with additional discussionssion of organizational capability, deeper treatment of sustainability and corporate social responsibility and more coverageof the sources of organizational inertia and competency traps. This edition is rich in new examples from real-world health care organizations. Chapters are brought to life by the 'Introductory Incidents', 'Learning Objectives', 'Perspectives', 'Strategy Capsules', useful chapter summaries; and questions for class discussion. All cases and examples have been updated or replaced. In this edition the teaching materials and web supplements have been greatly enhanced, with power-point slides, to give lecturers a unique resource.

The last century witnessed dramatic changes in the practice of health care, and coming decades promise advances that were not imaginable even in the relatively recent past. Science and technology continue to offer new insights into disease pathways and treatments, as well as mechanisms of protecting health and preventing disease. Genomics and proteomics are bringing personalized risk assessment, prevention, and treatment options within reach; health information technology is expediting the collection and analysis of large amounts of data that can lead to improved care; and many disciplines are contributing to a broadening understanding of the complex interplay among biology, environment, behavior, and socioeconomic factors that shape health and wellness. On February 25 - 27, 2009, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) convened the Summit on Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public in Washington, DC. The summit brought together more than 600 scientists, academic leaders, policy experts, health practitioners, advocates, and other participants from many disciplines to examine the practice of integrative medicine, its scientific basis, and its potential for improving health. This publication summarizes the background, presentations, and discussions that occurred during the summit.

Complementary therapies (CTs) are practices, products or systems for health that are outside the domain of conventional medicine (also called Western or allopathic medicine), used either to treat illnesses or to promote health and well-being. Defining CTs is difficult, because the field is very broad and constantly changing. The list of what is considered CT changes continually, and therapies whose safety and effectiveness are demonstrated may become part of conventional medicine. We hope the information from the present book can collaborate in some manner with the ongoing process of evolution of the paradigms related to concepts of health, disease and healing.