Integrative Medicine is based on the philosophy that the combined knowledge of conventional and traditional healing disciplines is ultimately superior to a single model of health and wellness. The objective of integrative healthcare is to blend the best of conventional and traditional medical practices in order to produce safer, faster and more effective healthcare. Modern medical practices, physical and manual therapies, acupuncture, mind-body therapies, and various other healing approaches, work best in concert to optimize patient care and promote healing.

Fundamental to integrative healthcare is a patient-centric approach that emphasizes the unique attributes of each patient. That is, that health and healing are individually determined and may be different for each person. The goal of integrative healthcare is a collaborative approach between patient and an interdisciplinary team of practitioners who work together as partners in the healing process.

Over 100 hospital-sponsored integrative clinics have opened across the United States over the past few years, and the numbers continue to grow. In addition, more and more medical schools in the U.S. currently offer courses on integrative medicine practices. The Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital is a world leader in the field, providing teaching to medical students, residents, and fellows, and offering a state of the art facility for clinical practice and research.

To learn more about integrative medicine