NCCAM Adds Integrative Medicine Consult Service

A press release earlier this year announced that the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) created a consulting service in which healthcare professionals can obtain advice on integrating CAM therapies for specific patient treatment plans.

NCCAM’s Integrative Medicine Consult Service is located at the Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. These consult services are available for physicians’ treating patients involved in medical trials at NIH’s Clinical Center.

The CAM education provided to the NIH staff, patients and families will include detailed information on such alternative therapies as acupuncture, tai chi, Reiki, hypnosis, qi gong, guided imagery, and massage therapy. All of these treatments are currently offered of the Clinical Center’s Pain and Palliative Care Service and the Rehabilitation Medicine Department.

In addition, the pharmacy has been consulting with patients and doctors on the use of herbal remedies and their interaction with conventional, prescription drugs.

Dr. Patrick J. Mansky is the director of NCCAM’s Integrative Medicine Consult Service and along with Dr. Nussenblatt, Clinical Director of NCCAM’s Division of Intramural Research, explained their enthusiasm for this innovative new service. “This service will provide a focal point for CAM evaluation, research, and education in the NIH intramural community.”