The March of Alternative Medicine

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CAM in hospitals settings

My question to Mr. Comarow is this: What good is evidenced based medicine if the evidence is flawed, misrepresented or ignored?

Example, I am a medical hypnotist and there is considerable evidence that teaching some one self-hypnosis, meditation and guided imagery can help relieve their pain and yet doctors and their patients are always surprised to learn pain can be treated without toxic and potentially addictive drugs.

Sounds like malpractice to me.

Michael Ellner of NY @ Sep 17, 2008 15:13:31 PM

Upside Down Medical System

In a medical system dominated (80%) by specialists is it any wonder so few hospitals take advantage of CAM? Most of these therapies are based on prevention and treat patients as a whole being of body, mind and spirit/energy which is the exact opposite of the current model. With so few general practitioners, and fewer joining the ranks each year, health care continues to grow more polarized between CAM and mainstream medicine.

The other issue is money. Few insurance companies pay for CAM treatments so there isn't a financial incentive for hospitals to offer the service.

Is it any wonder more and more American are turning to CAM on their own?

Alan Smith of TX @ Sep 17, 2008 12:33:56 PM

Medical System

The best medical system whether one uses allopathic medicine or alternative medicine is a preventative model. However a preventative medical system means reduced profits for a number of health care agencies and employees. Therefore one should not hold one's breath waiting for a preventative health care system.

In addition our present medical system is not a holistic model.

Until our medical system takes into account past lives and the disease connected with past lives it will "remain in the dark"

and not get at the true cause of disease.

Donald of WI @ Sep 17, 2008 09:39:16 AM

The best "alternative" medicine is that which one administers to one's self. Read, learn. Pet therapy is good. Get a small dog. Self-medication is good. Take your vitamins. Excercize is good. Walk. Walk. Walk. Diet is important. Love your veggies. Massage is good. Rub. Rub. Rub.

of @ Sep 16, 2008 17:05:20 PM

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Comarow On Quality

U.S. News's Avery Comarow has been editor of the America's Best Hospitals annual rankings since they first appeared in 1990. His reporting on clinical medicine, from the latest cholesterol guidelines to robotic surgery, has been driven by the question: What does this mean to patients? And that is the perspective he brings to his observations and commentaries on the increasing number of programs by hospitals and other healthcare providers to improve care and patient safety.

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