Integrative Medicine and Integrated Health Care Round-up: January 29-February 17, 2009

Summary: The list of IOM-contracted papers, and authors for the IOM Summit ... U Kansas program announces 2nd Fellow, and opens applications for third .. LAc-led clinic approved by UC Regents as internship location for medical students, others ... Holistic nurses elevate field research in their professional agenda ... Move in massage therapy profession may lead to split in organizations responsible for licensing exams and that for certification exams ... AAAOM to add focus on military medicine at its April conference ... Wendy Weber, ND, PhD becomes first naturopathic physician to be hired as a program officer at NIH NCCAM ... Key mover in creating Continuum Center, Barbara Glickstein, MS, MPH, RN, selected for prestigious media program, plus ...

Policy

IOM Summit announces availability of commissioned papers

As part of the National Summit on Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public, the IOM commissioned a series of papers. On February 6, the IOM announced that most of these are available for downloading and review on their website

Comment: I was pleased to see that each of the papers reflects a collaborative, multidisciplinary team, including leads from the nursing fields in two areas, plus a chiropractor, a licensed acupuncturist and two naturopathic physicians. (Matt Russell and his Russell Public Communications firm also has experience working across many disciplines.) Good for the IOM to have included this diversity in content preparation. This is a nice step toward multidisciplinary respect after the MD-centric 2005 IOM study.

Drisko, Left, and 2nd Fellow Bischoff

University of Kansas announces 2nd fellow; applications open for 2010-2011

1. Shadow acupuncturists during patient appointments
2. Develop patient profiles according to TCM standards
3. Monitor blood pressure or other vital signs, blood sugar or weight
4. Periodically evaluate scientific or other health care literature.
5. Provide counseling to patients
6. Help in herbal pharmacy.
7. Learn the business aspect of a TCM medical practice

Holistic nurses elevate importance of promoting research'

The American Holistic Nurses Association is engaged in a new effort to promote research within the holistic nursing field. The second issue of the new AHNA newsletter, Connections in Holistic Nursing Research, was recently published. The work is being led internally by Rorry Zahourek, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, AHN-BC. the coordinator for research on the AHNA's leadership council. The initiative includes a very small awards program ($2500) which is intended to support pilot work of a field researcher. The newsletter reflects the networking focus, sharing stories of successful research, mentoring, and training in grant writing.

Massage profession moves toward separate licensing and certification agencies

The American Massage Therapy Association has officially recognized the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) as the "preferred entry-level licensing exam" for massage therapists in the United States. The action follows the emergence in the field of the FSMTB over the last. Many states presently use the test of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB). A statement from the FSMTB notes that the Federation "like AMTA, sees voluntary certification as a valuable cornerstone of the profession. The Federation continues to hope that the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) will recognize that the profession has evolved and that NCBTMB’s true purpose in the industry is with certification," and "encourage(s) NCBTMB to fully support the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards, the regulatory process, and the benefits of a single licensing exam owned, operated and designed specifically to meet the needs of the regulatory community in their role of public protection."

AAAOM to include focus on military medicine at April 23-26 conference

The uptake of acupuncture and Oriental medicine by the US military has not been lost on the American Associatino for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM). In a February 9, 2009 notice to members, the organization's president Deborah Lincoln,RN, MSN, RAc, DiplAc (NCCAOM) shared plans for a half-day workshop on the topic. The discussion will be led by Joe Chang, LAc and will focus on efforts "

Lincoln says that Chang's work "may very well represent a new and much-needed direction to expand our professional opportunities nationwide." The conference will be held April 23-26 in Sacramento.


Personnel

Wendy EWeber, ND, MPH, PhD

Wendy Weber, ND, MPH, PhD to be first naturopathic physician with staff position at NIH NCCAM

In an brief note to colleagues on February 12, Wendy Weber, ND, PhD announced that she has been hired as a program officer at the NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Weber, a member of the research team and board member at Bastyr University, will be the first naturopathic physician to hold a staff position inside NIH NCCAM. Her doctorate is in epidemiology. It was not immediately clear with which programs Weber will be affiliated. Her last day at Bastyr will be March 20, 2009. Licensed chiropractors have held program officer positions for many years at NCCAM with Partap Khalsa, DC, PhD currently in that role. Weber co-authored the IOM-commissioned paper on research context and priorities, noted above.

Comment: As a side-note, Weber is a member of the Research Working Group of the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care, a co-chair for which is Christine Goertz, DC, PhD, the first licensed CAM practitioner to hold a program officer position at NCCAM. Goertz role was in health services, her specialty. Kudos to Weber, and to NCCAM director Josephine Briggs, MD, for opening this door. 

Barbar Glickstein, MS, RN, MPH

Barbara Glickstein, RN, MPH, MS selected as part of Progressive Women's Voices program

Barbara Glickstein, RN, MPH is known to many in the integrative medicine field as the individual who partnered with Woodson Merrell, MD in pulling together the Continuum Center for Health and Healing in New York City. Glickstein, a long-time radio host and producer shares that she was recently selected as one of just 11 individuals to become part of the Progressive Women's Voices program of the Women's Media Center. PWV is described as an "intense media and outreach training program." Information about the program is here. Cool program. Congrats!

Natural health policy and marketer Janice Hall seeking new position

Janice Hall of Natural Network International (NNI), with 30 years of leading-edge marketing and policy-related work in sustainability, organics, natural foods and natural products shared an interest in a career shift. Hall has 30 years of international experience in natural health related fields and was instrumental in many early initiatives in the organics and sustainability areas. Hall says she's looking "for a new team to play on" and after running NNI since 1991." 609-683-1134 or