Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Hospitals
Health Forum, a subsidiary of the
American Hospital Association, released a new report evaluating the use of
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in hospitals. The report findings are based on a survey conducted by the AHA’s Annual Survey of Hospitals.
Prior to this survey, completed in 2005, the last time this survey was conducted was in 1999. Results show that the number of hospitals offering CAM has grown from 7.7 percent to a whopping 18.3 percent, in just six short years. Patient demand was listed as the main motive (87.1 percent) for hospitals to include CAM as part of their treatment and recovery programs. “Clinical effectiveness and the fact that CAM services reflect the hospital’s desire to treat the whole person-body, mind and spirit,” were cited as other chief reasons for using CAM in hospitals.
Contrary to popular beliefs that CAM is most common on the coastlines, this survey showed that Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin were the states with the largest number of respondents who offered CAM.
The results showed that 37 percent of hospitals use wellness or fitness centers, while only 14 percent actually have a CAM center located on-site.
Hospitals may be wise to get on the CAM wagon, as it has been reported to be a $35 billion industry.