Small News/Politics Graphic Mainstreaming Alternative Medicine
By Jack Miller, L. Ac., President, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine.

The following editorial was published by the San Diego Business Journal as part of its "Special Report on Healthcare." It is reprinted here as yet another demonstration of the growing "mainstream" interest in alternative medicine.
For many advocates of alternative medicine, a report in last year's New England Journal of Medicine confirmed what they had long suspected. Researchers found that one in three Americans turn to "unconventional therapies" (often called alternative medicine) to alleviate a variety of problems ranging from back pain to anxiety, a statistic that would seem to set the word "alternative" on its ear. The same study also found that the number of visits to alternative practitioners exceeded the number of visits to primary care practitioners and that Americans spent a staggering $10.3 billion dollars on alternative care -- dollars that came out of their own pocket, by-and-large, since alternative medicine therapies are not covered by most insurance companies.

Fortunately, that is changing, although not fast enough for the millions of consumers who pay out-of-pocket while waiting for alternative medicine to be officially declared mainstream. While more and more insurance companies are testing programs in which alternative therapies are covered, the bulk of them are still not included in the list of covered benefits issued from most insurance plans.

The term alternative medicine has been used as a catch-all phrase to describe a broad spectrum of treatment. Common therapies that fall under the alternative medicine umbrella include acupuncture, acupressure, homeopathy, yoga therapy, meditation, biofeedback, herbal and vitamin remedies. In the past, many in conventional medicine shunned alternative treatment as an area reserved for quacks, claiming that the effectiveness of many techniques could not be substantiated.

The growth in acceptance of the alternative medicine market has been fueled by a variety of factors. Consumer frustration with the limitations of traditional medicine, a growing body of scientific literature that links disease to nutritional and emotional factors, and a greater awareness of the medical practices of other cultures have all contributed. The market has also been affected by baby boomers and their buying habits, who are increasingly influencing the health care system to look at new ways of treating old problems. Seventy six million strong, the baby boom generation is markedly different than any other generation to hit the system in several, key ways: a desire for and expectation of wellness, aggressive consumerism and a healthy disregard for authority and conformity. In fact, the New England Journal of Medicine's article pointed out that the biggest consumers of alternative medicine were what we would typically think of when describing the baby boomers: comparatively well-off, well-educated people in the 25 to 49 year old age bracket.

With these factors in place, it was only a matter of time before conventional medicine adopted a "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em," mentality, as evidenced by the recent collaborative efforts by alternative practitioners and mainstream systems. In fact, the National Institutes of Health has recently established an Office of Alternative Medicine, which is funding research projects ranging from the impact of biofeedback on chronic pain to the value of acupuncture on the attention deficit in hyperactive children. Yet, the insurance industry lags behind, even with the current focus on cost containment.

The one small exception is the field of acupuncture. In 1985, the California state Senate Bill 2179 required all group insurance plans to offer acupuncture as a benefit and in 1989 Senate Bill 840 was passed, which required Workers' Compensation insurance to cover acupuncture in California. While this is a good start, the same sort of progress needs to be realized in the other areas which enjoy wide public support. The pressures of cost containment may hasten this process.

When compared to conventional medical treatments, virtually all alternative therapies pose a significantly reduced potential for side effects, which can contribute to cost savings. It is sometimes argued that alternative therapies can delay the application of conventional medical treatments, thus leading to reduced health status and increased medical expenditures. However, there are no studies which substantiate this argument. In the previously-referenced New England Journal of Medicine article, more than 50 percent of those patients who reported that they sought treatment from alternative medicine practitioners were concurrently under the care of a conventional physician. Because many alternative medicine practitioners (particularly acupuncturists) have had training in conventional Western medicine, they are aware of situations when conventional care is indicated and often refer patients to mainstream physicians.

In summary, patients should not be faced with an "either/or" situation when it comes to seeking conventional and alternative treatments. The growing awareness of mind-body medicine and the advantages that each field has to offer should make collaboration a natural state for providers of both types, and will result in the best return on the dollar for patients and the payers of health care.


The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine is an accredited college offering a Masters degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine and certification therapeutic Massage with campuses in San Diego and New York.
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