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Archive for the ‘Integrative Medicine’ Category

UA integrative medicine residency program flourishes – Sierra Vista Herald

Friday, August 25th, 2017

TUCSON Faculty at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and their collaborators successfully demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of an online approach to train more family medicine residents in integrative medicine.

The American Board of Physician Specialties defines integrative medicine "as the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing."

Effective online training in integrative medicine is important given the increased demand for physicians with expertise in integrative medicine coupled with the call from medical and public health organizations for alternatives to traditional medical approaches to such matters as pain management.

With that in mind, Dr. Patricia Lebensohn, professor of Family and Community Medicine at the UA College of Medicine-Tucson, directed the development of an Integrative Medicine in Residency program, a robust, online curriculum with the aim of establishing integrative medicine as a routine part of family medicine residency education throughout the country.

An in-depth evaluation of the project and its results was published in the July-August 2017 issue of the journal Family Medicine.

The study tested a 200-hour online curriculum, at eight sites offering integrative medicine residencies across the United States. Study subjects included 186 family medicine residents who participated in the IMR and 53 residents in other programs without integrative medicine training who served as controls.

Of the 186 IMR residents, 77 percent completed the program and tested significantly higher in their medical knowledge of integrative medicine than the control residents.

"Despite how busy the residents were, there was a very high completion rate," says Dr. Victoria Maizes, executive director of UACIM. "The level of knowledge improves in those who complete the curriculum and doesn't change in those who don't."

"When we started this study in 2008, it was a novel idea to deliver common curriculum online across eight sites," says Maizes. "This curriculum is now shared at 75 residencies and has expanded well beyond family medicine. We started with this project in family medicine. Now, we're in pediatrics, internal medicine, preventive medicine and we have a pilot program in psychiatry."

"I am pleased with the results of the residents' evaluation of the high clinical utility of the curriculum and the ease of navigating the online delivery," says Lebensohn. "Most of the residents in an exit survey stated that they intend to utilize integrative medicine approaches in their future practice of family medicine."

Additional study authors included Audrey J. Brooks and Paula Cook, UA; Dr. Benjamin Kligler, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Dr. Raymond Teet, Albert Einstein School of Medicine, New York; and Dr. Michele Birch, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Submitted by the University of Arizona Communications

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Harvard’s Continued Embrace of Integrative Medicine Finds a Partner and a New Conflict of Interest – American Council on Science and Health

Friday, August 25th, 2017

The Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Harvards outreach into complementary medicine recently announced a partnership where three researchers associated with the Harvard Osher Center will each summarize a top recent publication from the burgeoning mind-body literature and provide commentary on why they chose to shine a light on it. Harvard is not alone in this effort. Just Tuesday Wolters Kluver announced Ovid Insights,a current awareness service, citing the exponentially expanding volume of research.

As the volume of research worldwide continues to increase, staying current on the latest medical findings and practice guidelines is an overwhelming, yet necessary, task for healthcare professionals.

Ironically, the academics first filled, in the sense of a firehouse filling a cup, the journals with studies predicated on the concept of publish or perish. And having overwhelmed our attention, they now introduce a solution, the era of curated journal reading.

Harvards collaborative partner is the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (JACM) considered to be in the top quartile of journals covering this area. To give you a sense of the journals academic reach you might considertwo reported measures of citation rates. The SJR, a size independent measure of scientific influence is 0.581, for comparison, the New England Journal of Medicine's (NEJM) is 17.736. The SJR puts JACM 17th among their peers (96 journals) after the Journal of Natural Products and Journal of Ginseng Research. Citations per document reflect how often a journal is cited; it is a commonly used measure of the journals impact on research. Here JACM has a value of 1.537 (the NEJM is 33.902) placing it 22nd amongst its peers, just after Chiropractic and Manual Therapies but before Chinese Medicine [1]

The three Harvard faculty members [2], all JACM associate editors, select a theme and then choose one study from the literature to abstract and to comment upon. I read the articles they presented, while they are a bit too touchy feely for me, and have the usual problems that plague the literature (small sample size, p-hacking, and data mining), they were all thoughtful articles to read and consider. My concern was the descriptions of studies within their abstracts, for example:

Cherkin and colleagues' beautiful randomized prospective studyThis powerful study demonstrates

In an elegantly designed and rigorously conducted comparative effectiveness trial supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)/National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Stephen Ross and colleagues conducted a small but methodologically elegant double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial

Perhaps it is me, but I detect a tone of advocacy, and with advocacy comes conflicted interests. I have no issue with knowledgeable people suggesting reading, but there is a fine line between organizing and sorting of information dispassionately and content curation that is, an editorial process. It's a mix of art and science. It requires a clear and definable voice,and editorial mission,and an understanding of your audience and community.[3] Can we reliably expect these academics to cite articles that do not favor alternative and complementary medicine? So far, in the year of this collaboration, no article they have chosen has taken an unfavorable view. Are the Harvard faculty acting as fair witness or advocates, do they shed light or only increase the echo? The goals of JACMs editor, John Weeks, JACMs editor, provides additional clues when he states that his goal that JACM becomes an arbiter of the conversation and content that shapes the course of healthcare. Perhaps I am mistaken, but I want my journals to provide me with unbiased research so that I can form my own view and be the arbiter of my conversations.

[1] The SCImago Journal & Country Rank is a publicly available portal that includes the journals and country scientific indicators [that] can be used to assess and analyze scientific domains.

[2] Osher Center's Director of Research Peter Wayne, PhD, Gloria Yeh, MD, MPH, Research Fellowship Director, and Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH, the center's Director of Education

[3] Is Curation Overused? The Votes Are In

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Integrative medicine physicians say quality of life is better – FierceHealthcare

Friday, August 25th, 2017

Physicians practicing integrative medicine have improved quality of life and spend more time with their patients, according to a new survey.

The study, conducted by Pure Branding, a market research company, looked at why doctors leave conventional practices for integrative medicine, which pairs standard treatments with complementary therapies to care for a patients mind, body and spirit. The study included 1,133 integrative medical doctors and doctors of osteopathyfrom 49 states.

As more doctors report burnout, which has increased by 25% in just four years, a rapidly growing number of doctors are exploring integrative approaches to clinical care. The study identified five factors that define integrative medicine:

These ... doctors are at the forefront of a paradigm shift in medicine that will significantly impact the value chain from healthcare systems and payers to medical schools and suppliers, said Yadim Medore, founder and CEO of Pure Branding.

RELATED: Alternative medicine becomes a lucrative business for U.S. top hospitals

Some of the findings from the survey included:

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Nevada earns D on nonprofit’s new health-care report card – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Friday, August 25th, 2017

A new nonprofit created by heavy hitters from Nevadas business and medical communities gave the state a D grade on its first report card on the states health care system.

The report card was released Wednesday by the Nevada Medical Center and is intended to focus attention on improving access to quality health care in the state.

Larry Matheis, the NMCs CEO, said the report card will help state leaders focus on the gaps that must be filled to improve Nevadas medical standing. Currently, he said, the states medical system resembles a series of isolated communities due to the lack of collaboration among medical professionals and the dearth of thought given to enhancing our communitys reputation.

The report cards grades, based on analysis of data supplied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other government agencies, show how Nevada fares in the categories of health care access, chronic disease, nutrition and activity, mental health and substance abuse. The grades werent all bad, with the state receiving a passing C grade on chronic disease and a better-than-average B on nutrition and activity.

The report is online at http:// nvmedicalcenter.org/nevada- healthcare-statistics/.

A guide and resource

Matheis, former executive director of the Nevada State Medical Association, said the report is intended to guide policymakers and recommend new approaches.

We are creating a Nevada Health Commission to use the report as a basis for recommending health policy priorities to the private and public sectors, said Matheis, We also are working with the UNLV School of Medicine to explore the potential for integrative medicine.

Integrative medicine is an approach to care that puts the patient at the center and addresses the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a persons health.

The report card, unveiled Wednesday evening at Delta Point, a community health center near downtown Las Vegas, is among the NMCs first major public initiatives. The organization was founded in 2013 by Eric Hilton, who died in 2016 after 49 years directing the Hilton hotel chain established by his father, Conrad Hilton.

Earlier this month, NMC partnered with the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District to organize play camps at two area libraries, aimed at demonstrating the impact of purposeful play on physical and mental health to young children, Matheis said. It also is developing a similar demonstration program with the Clark County School District to be rolled out at elementary schools in the fall, he said.

Though NMC boosts some high-profile talent board members include New York-New York CEO Cynthia Kiser Murphey and Dr. Florence Jameson, founder of the nonprofit Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada the organization had largely stayed out of the public spotlight before the release of the report card.

The rankings, based on statistics from the 50 states and the District of Columbia, gave the state an F for access to health care through primary care doctors and insurance availability.

Only Mississippi had a worse rate of primary care providers, 53 per 100,000 people, compared with Nevadas 56. The nations capitol, with 116 providers per 100,000 people, fared best.

No quick fix for doctor shortage

Given that Nevadas explosive growth the population nearly doubled from 1.5 million in 1995 to nearly 3 million in 2016 is expected to continue, the NMC set a modest target for access improvement: only one more provider per 100,000 by 2020. Even the creation of the new UNLV School of Medicine its 60 graduates wont be entering residencies for graduate medical education for four years cant do much to help offset retirements by doctors in the near future.

The report cards chronic disease section tracks cases and deaths rates for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, respiration and kidney disease.

Nevada ranked 21st nationally in the age-adjusted death rate from all forms of cancer, with 157 deaths per 100,000 people per year. Kentucky, at 196 deaths, and Utah, at 125 deaths per year, represented the worst and best states, respectively. The NMC set an improvement target of 155 deaths per 100,000 people for Nevada by 2020. The national average is 159.

Although Nevada received an overall grade of C on issues pertaining to mental health, it received a D on the rate of suicides, with 18 per 100,000 people. Wyoming, at 28 suicides, had the nations highest rate, while the District of Columbias was the lowest at five. The national average is 13. NMC set an improvement target of 17 by 2020.

On substance abuse, Nevada earned an overall C, ranking 26th in the nation on excessive drinking, 21st in smoking, 14th in impaired driving accidents and 39 in fatal drug overdoses.

Nevada did its best on nutrition and activity, largely because of exercise opportunities and physically active adults. The NMC noted, however, that Nevada ranks at or below average in food insecurity (D) and food environment (C), meaning Nevada has room for improvement in making sure people have enough good and the right foods.

The NMCs report card is similar to rating systems used by other organizations to measure Nevadas health care delivery system, including recent reports that found the state lacking on hospital safety and the overall health of its senior citizens.

Contact Paul Harasim at pharasim@reviewjournal.com or 702 387-5273. Follow @paulharasim on Twitter.

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Top UCSD researchers pitch yoga, massage and integrative … – The San Diego Union-Tribune

Friday, August 25th, 2017

She wielded a kitchen knife, not a scalpel, but Serena Silberman was doing her part Saturday to heal the human body, one chop of parsley, peach and pomegranate at a time.

Food can be medicine, said Silberman, an instructor at the University of California San Diego Integrative Medicine Natural Healing Cooking Program, as she prepped a meal for more than 200 people at the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine in La Jolla.

Her feast was to commemorate the debut of UC San Diegos Centers for Integrative Health, an initiative throughout the university and health network to unify current research, education and clinical programs ranging from nutrition and acupuncture to meditation and yoga.

Saturdays all-day conference rang in the new collaborative health effort at UC San Diego by discussing how western science can be better wedded to traditional folk cures and alternative medicine to offer better outcomes for patients.

Charlie Neuman/U-T

At the Sanford Consortium, UC San Diego on Saturday launched the new Centers for Integrative Health. At the beginning of the event attendees participate in meditation.

At the Sanford Consortium, UC San Diego on Saturday launched the new Centers for Integrative Health. At the beginning of the event attendees participate in meditation. (Charlie Neuman/U-T)

To Silberman, that means parsley. Rich in antioxidants, the green leaves naturally contain the anti-inflammatory luteolin; Vitamin A to boost the white blood cells that attack infection; and folate, which can help protect patients from heart attack, stroke and hardened arteries.

And then theres her generous dusting of turmeric, the orange-colored herb from the ginger family that doubles as a curry spice and dye. Researchers are studying whether it might heal heart disease and diabetes with very few side effects.

Indian cooks have only been doing it for 5,000 years, so they might know something, said Silberman, punctuating her point with the chop-chop-chop of peaches.

None of this is new to UC San Diego. The Center for Integrative Medicine, for example, was established seven years ago and now treats more than 10,000 patients annually, but organizers hope future consultations will seamlessly involve the Centers for Mindfulness, Integrative Research, Integrative Nutrition and Integrative Education into a one-stop experience.

That means 26 practitioners in 10 clinics within eight departments throughout the health system will be integrated.

Dr. Dan Slater, a physician and UC San Diego professor of family medicine and public health, presented to a packed Sanford Consortium audience a case study he thinks might guide future patient care.

Charlie Neuman/U-T

Attendees to the launch of UC San Diego's Centers for Integrative Health get acupuncture and massages while listening to therapeutic harp music by Carolyn Worster.

Attendees to the launch of UC San Diego's Centers for Integrative Health get acupuncture and massages while listening to therapeutic harp music by Carolyn Worster. (Charlie Neuman/U-T)

A 61-year-old woman was suffering from symptoms suggesting ulcerative colitis, a painful inflammatory bowel disease. The wait had grown to six months in her small town for a colonoscopy that peeked at the lining of her intestine and took a sample of the tissue, a procedure Slater noted was not cheap and was not necessarily convenient.

So he and his team of integrative health specialists prescribed a diet high in fiber, fruits and vegetables and low in fats and sweets. A little more turmeric and a few dollops of probiotics good bacteria to boost the digestive system and within three months she was feeling better. By the time her colonoscopy rolled around, her condition was either in remission or cured.

To Slater, that highlights what the Centers for Integrative Health might do best researching many pathways to a cure but letting the body do most of the work by exploring everything from aromatherapy to zen.

cprine@sduniontribune.com

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Our Services | Virginia Integrative Medicine

Friday, August 4th, 2017

Proudly Providing Integrative Medicine in Virginia

Your health is important to us and we will not rest until we have helped you figure out a solution to your ailments. At Optimal Health Dimensions, we pride ourselves on caring, listening, and providing personalized solutions. If you are suffering from a medical impairment, or affliction, our Virginia integrative medicine practice is dedicated to helping you achieve results to better your future. We employ highly-skilled healthcare practitioners which allows our patients to glean from a variety of therapy options as well as extensive medical knowledge and experience. Our holistic doctors are dedicated to providing excellent services for our patients, and we can put our experience to work for you if you choose to take advantage of our services.

We offer the following therapeutics to our clients:

Intravenous Light Therapy

If you are suffering from an illness that is causing severe pain, our providers offer a therapy that can help relieve those symptoms using an intravenous delivery system that delivers UVA light, green and red light waves to the individual directly through the vein.

Bio-identical Hormone Therapy - The Rejuvenated You Therapy (RYT) ApproachIf you are facing a hormone deficiency of estrone, estradiol, or testosterone to name a few, then you may greatly benefit from the option of Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. This is the process by which your hormones are targeted and matched on a molecular level, and then replaced with identical hormones to supplement a deficiency.

Healthy Baby ProjectThere are too many cases where mothers before pregnancy were not detoxed or properly prepared for the joyful event of a pregnancy resulting in an un-well baby or child that later develops undesirable medical issues. With our years of experience, we can help you pursue a healthy lifestyle and prepare your body to an optimal level to receive and nourish your unborn baby.

IV TherapiesThere is a variety of different issues that can be solved through various IV nutrient/mineral and antimicrobial therapies. In the case of dehydration, an IV can be used to quickly hydrate a human body. IVs can be used to supplement nutrients, minerals, and vitamins or quickly insert antibacterial medicine, or used for detoxification purposes through flushing the system.

Nutritional ConsultationAll our providers have extensive experience and medical skill in nutritional and lifestyle modification to provide you with a better understanding of the human body and how it responds to the fuel given. There are many different medical issues that can be solved by healthy nutrition choices, and exercise. You will greatly benefit from the information gleaned from our skilled medical staff.

Besides our most popular therapeutics mentioned above, we also provide many other therapies to address and improve your unique health needs. Even when you can't put a finger on what health problem is plaguing you, we can listen to your symptoms and prescribe the therapies and medications that could most likely benefit you. Don't try to troubleshoot your health conditions on your own or by simply going off of the tips you find on Google. We are certified experts that can provide you with the proven and beneficial therapies you need.

These therapies include the following:

At Optimal Health Dimensions, we care about your unique situation and will not approach improving your health with any cookie-cutter tactics. Our work ethic and character is something we prize above all else.

What makes us stand apart, is that we will do the following:

Your medical concerns are important to us, and we can put our first-hand knowledge to work for you. Are you looking for aholistic doctor in Virginia?Contact us today to schedule an evaluation so we can begin the process of retaining the medical assistance that you need. Don't delay in getting the counsel and guidance you need to pursue a healthier, happier life. We care about your life and your future, which is why we use integrative medicine to heal both your mind and body. By choosing Optimal Health Dimensions, you will be in the safe hands you can trust. Visit our Fairfax medical center today at 3930 Pender Drive, Suites #260 and #280!

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Burnout Recovery Guide by Doctor/Nurse Team Offers New Science-Based System – Markets Insider

Friday, August 4th, 2017

FOREST GROVE, Ore., Aug. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Every year, stress and professional burnout cost US business and consumers over $400 billion. Thousands of talented, well-trained professionals become overwhelmed by burnout and leave the careers they love, creating shortages in many critical industries such as nursing, primary care medicine and teaching.

While researchers have successfully demystified many aspects of burnout, people who need help don't know where to start. OnOctober 8, 2017, the definitive guide, "Save Yourself from Burnout: A System to Get Your Life Back," will be available in bookstores and online retailers nationwide.

This informative, encouraging and highly strategic guide, written by the integrative medical team of Dr. Marnie Loomis, naturopathic physician, former faculty member of the National University of Natural Medicine, and Beth Genly, retired nurse-midwife, former faculty member of Oregon Health and Science University, provides a comprehensive approach to understanding and overcoming burnout. It is specifically designed for people who are exhausted yet want to return to the lives and careers they love.

"Burnout has devastating effects on health and well-being. 'Save Yourself from Burnout' is timely and offers a multitude of customizable solutions for people who are feeling burned out," comments Kelly Campbell, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, California State University, Santa Barbara; and co-host of the radio show "Let's Talk Relationships."

"We both experienced burnout. When we realized so many of our students, colleagues and loved ones were also suffering from burnout, we had to figure out how to help," Dr. Loomis says.

"Unlike generic lists of tips and tricks, 'Save Yourself from Burnout'leads each reader to identify the extent of their own burnout protection and vulnerability, creating a simple visual map to guide recovery and maintain their energy and passion for life," Genly adds.

"Save Yourself from Burnout" details how burnout is different from and more destructive than stress. "Burnout is common, but most people try to keep it a secret when it happens to them. Certainly, when burnout got to me, I wondered if I had some deep-seated personal flaw that might be the cause."

"Fear and stigma keep most people from talking about it," Dr. Loomis says. "We find people are empowered by thinking of burnout as a sort of repetitive stress injury, like carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow. If you treat burnout as an injury to the parts of your mind and body that deal with constant stress, the path to recovery becomes clear."

For those who have witnessed the devastating effects of burnout on their friends, family members and coworkers, the new book, "Save Yourself from Burnout," provides hope that burnout does not have to be a life sentence for the members of our community who are too valuable to lose.

Contact

Beth Genly503-267-4482 rel="nofollow">170920@email4pr.com

Dr. Marnie Loomis, ND 503-544-7044 rel="nofollow">170920@email4pr.com

Book Data

Save Yourself from Burnout: A System to Get Your Life Back,by Dr. Marnie Loomis, ND, and Beth Genly, MSN

Find Photos, Videos, Author Bios, and Advance Readers' Reactions at: http://www.burnout-solutions.com/press-kit-save-burnout/

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/burnout-recovery-guide-by-doctornurse-team-offers-new-science-based-system-300499590.html

SOURCE Bouclier Press

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We need to implement better policies on pain science and integrative medicine – The Hill (blog)

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017

Pain is a universal human experience and one of the most common reasons people see a doctor. It has repeatedly been in the news due to the current opioid epidemic that is taking the lives of more than90 people a dayin the United States.

On May 31 the head of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis S. Collins, and the head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Dr. Nora Volkow, published an article intheNew England Journal of Medicine, titled "The Role of Science in Addressing the Opioid Crisis." Sadly, the only science addressed concerned pharmaceutical drugs.

That narrow focus is out of step with current recommendations from major public health organizations, including theCDC,FDAand theJoint Commission,that non-pharmacologic approaches to pain be first-line treatments.

For example, the American College of Physicians, which represents internal medicine doctors, publishedpractice guidelinesfor low-back pain in February 2017, stating:

For patients with chronic low-back pain, clinicians and patients should initially select non-pharmacologic treatment with exercise, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, acupuncture, mindfulness-based stress reduction (moderate-quality evidence), tai chi, yoga, motor control exercise, progressive relaxation, electromyography biofeedback, low-level laser therapy, operant therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or spinal manipulation (low-quality evidence).

It is, therefore, extremely disconcerting to read the complete omission of non-pharmacologic treatment by the leadership of NIH and NIDA, who have enormous influence on what is researched and therefore on what is brought into policy and practice.

Cannabis and deep brain stimulation are mentioned in the article;however, cannabis has legal challenges at the federal level as well as in multiple states, and deep brain stimulation is highly invasive. The most cost-effective and least invasive practices, which need and deserve further research, are completely ignored.

Opioids are the best medications we have for moderate-to-severe acute pain; used appropriately, they are effective and relatively safe. As stand-alone treatment for chronic pain, however, they neither safe nor effective.With more and more patients seeking relief from chronic pain syndrome, doctors have come to understand that it is fundamentally different from acute pain.

As pain becomes chronic, brain areas that perceive it begin to change physically and communicate with nearby areas that normally have nothing to do with pain. Involvement of these other regions appears to be related to difficult symptoms that often accompany chronic pain, such as fatigue, disturbed sleep, depression, anxiety and cognitive impairment. These co-morbidities greatly complicate the management of chronic pain. In many settings, unfortunately, patients with chronic pain syndrome are still treated as if they had acute pain.

The newer, integrative approach stresses individualized treatment, using many different modalities coordinated by a team of healthcare professionals.Analgesic medication is a component of this approach but never the sole component or even the most important one.

An example is theOregon Pain Management Commissions integrativeinitiative. Based on the costs and poor outcomes of a medication-focused approach, the state passed an initiative in 2016 to provide integrative therapies for chronic pain syndrome in addition to conventional care, including acupuncture, massage, manipulation, yoga and supervised exercise and physical therapy. It left out mind/body therapies, such as hypnosis, biofeedback and mindfulness-based stress reduction, which can be both cost- and time-effective.

TheVeterans Administration (VA)has also backed away from reliance on opioids to manage chronic pain syndrome and is now actively promoting comprehensive care that includes acupuncture, yoga, mindfulness meditation and physical therapy. Other states should follow the lead of Oregon and the VA, mandating policies that address the new science of chronic pain with integrative approaches rather than punishing users or prescribers of analgesic medication.

Additional policy changes would support funding not only for pharmaceutical-government partnerships as promoted by NIH leaders, but also for cost and clinical effectiveness outcomes research that could be carried out in partnership between innovators and insurers.

In addition, funding is needed to assess the impact of new educational programs on integrative pain management. These would evaluate changes in prescribing behavior of providers and the use of opioids as well as satisfaction with care amongst the patients they serve.

Broadening our perspective so as to address prevention, training and best medical practices is critically important for the institutions that determine research priorities and drug policy.

Andrew Weil, MD, is director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and author ofMind Over Meds: Protect Yourself from Overmedication by Knowing When Drugs Are Necessary, When Alternatives Are Better, and When to Let Your Body Heal on Its Own. Victoria Maizes, MD, is the executive director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and a professor of medicine and public health.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.

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Integrative Medicine | Optimal Health Dimensions

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017

Are you living in perpetual pain, have horrible fatigue, or medical concerns? There are many causes to various afflictions or ailments suffered by people every day. Virginia integrative medicine could be the solution for you.

At Optimal Health Dimensions, we are dedicated to excellent service, and effective solutions to help you obtain a solution to your health issue. We employ a variety of healing techniques that are time-tested and proven to produce favorable results. We understand the uniqueness of your medical situation and health concern, and we are here to help you overcome the obstacles that you face.

Integrative medicine is a blend of evidence-based medicine and alternative medicine. Integrative medicine is designed to treat a person, not just a condition. It is a holistic approach. We provide treatments such asIV therapies, which bring great relief to many patients. Our integrative medicine approach also includes ahealthy baby project, aiming to reduce and minimize the chances of childhood illnesses. We also offernutritional consultation for advanced health issues, targeting common issues such as obesity and elevated blood sugar levels. Another area that requires specific holistic training isbio-identical hormone therapy. Our Rejuvenated You Therapy (RYT) includes hormones identical to that of which your body produces, not synthetic or hazardous products.

At Optimal Health Dimensions, we don't just treat your body, we treat your mind, body and spirit. We understand that a health condition can adversely affect all aspects of yourself and your life, which is why we don't believe in a cookie-cutter approach. We evaluate each person's sickness and situation and treat them accordingly. While we may use some unconventional treatments, we use therapies that have received high-quality support. We do not replace mainstream medicine, we simply use alternative treatments alongside of more traditional approaches. For more information about the services we provice,click here.

Visit ourtestimonials page to find out what our patients have to say about Optimal Health Dimensions, andvisit us on Google+ to find a map and leave us a review!

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Finding Hope in Integrative Care – National Pain Report

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017

By Cynthia Toussaint.

Thank you, Ed Coghlan, for your follow up piece to the Los Angeles Times op-ed about women in pain often getting the its all in your head misdiagnosis.

In my opinion the only way out of this labyrinth of medical abuse is to walk away from the western healthcare model and turn to self-management and integrative care.

When I read Emily and Gracies stories, I was actually relieved because we women in pain have come so far since I became ill with CRPS in 1982. It took me 13+ years to get a diagnosis and 15 years to get care.

Cynthia Toussaint

Always a self-advocate, I saw over a hundred doctors and was dismissed with a plethora of insults, including youre making up the pain to get secondary gain from your attentive partner, you have stage fright, you have tendonitis from Mars, youre folding up your contracted arm with your mind just the way one levitates oneself and the classic, youre only a woman anyway, it doesnt really matter just shoot yourself in the head.

We women in pain lose most everything, including a chance for a cure, due in large part to this abuse. I lost my beloved career as a performer, my family and friends ran for the hills, my 37-year partner and I couldnt marry as I would have lost my healthcare benefits, we couldnt have a baby. I lost the chance to live a moment of my life without severe pain and fatigue and I lost the chance to walk more than 100 feet without a wheelchair. To this day Im housebound and unable to drive.

On top of all this loss was associated depression and anxiety, and the last thing I needed were doctors spewing cruelties while disregarding my pain. These doctors stain our psyches so severely, few of us are able to fully recover, reinvent ourselves and move on with a different life.

Ive said it many times before, and Ill continue saying it. When it comes to high-impact pain, the western healthcare model is a broken disaster chocked full of abuse, ignorance and clinically-induced trauma.

This system focuses on surgeries, procedures and medications, most of which make us sicker. In my case, they broke my arm, gave me severe pelvic pain, put me on an infusion drug that almost killed me and insisted on giving me an intra-thecal pump, two spinal cord stimulators and ketamine infusions. This is but a partial list.

I finally found better care and wellness about 15 years ago when I walked away from traditional care and saw my first integrative medicine doctor. When Dr. Brodsky walked in, I was ready for battle, strongly making my case for not wanting the many procedures, drugs, etc. When he stated that he didnt believe in invasive care, I knew Id made my way home.

Dr. Taw has since taken over and his respective bedside manner is wonderful treatment in and of itself. He listens mindfully and after I describe a problem in detail he asks me what I think we should do. Dr. Taw then shares his ideas about life-style balance and stress management. We truly work as a team. No discrimination, no gender-based dismissal, no God complex. In fact when I call Dr. Taw (which is infrequent), he gets on the phone with me. Thats the key to the integrative medicine model these are MDs trained in traditional and alternative care who place the patient front and center. These doctors know pain and fatigue conditions as most women in pain end up migrating there after the western model has left them sicker for years, even decades.

While Emily and Gracies stories remind me that weve come a long way, theres still much work to do. At For Graces September Change Agent Pain Summit: Part One, well gather men and women in pain and their caregivers to discuss barriers to care and possible solutions. Well highlight the NIHs National Pain Strategy, one that promotes the integrative care model as best practice.

The day will be like a big focus group and everything we glean will be shared with healthcare thought-leaders, legislators and the media at our 2018 Summit: Part Two where well work to implement the National Pain Strategy in California.

Join us to be a part of the collective voice of people in pain and their caregivers. There is a better way.

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Finding Hope in Integrative Care - National Pain Report

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A Delegation led by Director Li Weimin of West China Hospital, Sichuan University Visited the UK – Markets Insider

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017

CHENGDU, China, Aug. 2, 2017/PRNewswire/ -- On July 9-14 this year, a delegation led by director Li Weimin of West China Hospital, Sichuan University visited University of Liverpool, Cambridge University Hospitals, and Imperial College London in the UK. The delegation consisted of representatives from multiple departments and divisions of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, including Integrated TCM & Western Medicine Department, Cardiac Surgery Department, Anesthesiology Department, Health Care Division, Biological Specimen Bank, Information Center, and International Exchange and Cooperation Office.

While at University of Liverpool, the delegation visited its core medical research departments including Clinical Research Center, Research Accelerator,North West Cancer Research Centre, Biobank, Institute of Integrative Biology, and Institute of Translational Medicine, and held discussions with the host about potential cooperation in the field of biomedical research in the future.

On July 10, a bilateral cooperation forum was organized, and leaders and experts from University of Liverpool and Royal Liverpool Universityparticipated. In this forum, director Li Weimin reviewed the cooperation history between University of Liverpool and West China Hospital, stating that University of Liverpool had cultivated nearly ten talents for West China Hospital and that reinforced cooperation would greatly benefit both parties due to their traditional focus on scientific research. Executive vice director Wan Xuehong gave an overview of West China Hospital, and recommended further cooperation plans with regard to doctor and post-doctor cultivation, expert exchange, and joint establishment of West China Liverpool Biomedicine Research Center and Liverpool West China Center. After the forum, director Li Weimin signed a Liverpool - West China cooperation memorandum with Bob Burgoyne, executive pro-vice-chancellor of University of Liverpool and dean of Faculty of Health and Life Sciences.

While at Cambridge University, the delegation met the managers of remote medical platform UKeMED, and communicated with representatives from institutes such as Cambridge University Hospitals and University of Bedfordshire. The delegation also made a video presentation about world leading medical technologies of West China Hospital. After the meeting, director Li Weimin and Takis Kotis, CEO of UKeMED Platform, signed a cooperation memorandum concerning remote medicine and education as well as a letter of intent for cooperation under The Belt and Road initiative.

On the afternoon of July 12, the delegation met Roland Sinker, CEO of Cambridge University Hospitals. Later, the delegation paid a visit to Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Of Cambridge University, during which discussions were held with experts of the centre about challenges confronted by West China Hospital in biomedical research.

During their stay in London, the delegation visited Health care UK (HCUK). Ms. Deborah Kobewka, managing director of HCUK, introduced NHS medical system of UK and its operation conditions to the team members. She described HCUK as a government interface between UK and foreign medical partners, welcoming cooperation between West China Hospital and famous UK organizations like Cambridge UKeMED. The delegation also visited four private high-end UK medical centers at Harley Street. The team led by Director Li Weimin and executive vice director Wan Xuehong met representatives from some departments of Hammersmith Hospital affiliated with Imperial College London, including Anesthesiology Department, Cardiac Surgery Department, and Health Care Division, and expressed their thanks for multiple training sessions provided by the hospital for the medical team of West China Hospital.

On July 14, the delegation met Ms. Betty Yue, supervisor of Continuing Education & Training Center of Imperial College London, and Professor Desmond Johnston, vice president of Medicine School. Both parties achieved deeper understanding of each other, which laid a solid foundation for future cooperation.

This visit to University of Liverpool, Cambridge University Hospitals, and Imperial College London improved mutual understanding between West China Hospital and advanced academic research institutes in UK, and was concluded with preliminary cooperation plans regarding medical education and research. Such cooperation will enable West China Hospital to better build an international brand and integrate international resources, thus greatly promoting internationalization process of West China Hospital.

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/a-delegation-led-by-director-li-weimin-of-west-china-hospital-sichuan-university-visited-the-uk-300498107.html

SOURCE West China Hospital of Sichuan University

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A Delegation led by Director Li Weimin of West China Hospital, Sichuan University Visited the UK - Markets Insider

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Former PHPD reserve found dead in Greene County home – Bolivar Herald-Free Press (subscription)

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017

Four months after leaving the department, a former Pleasant Hope Police Department reserve officer was found dead in his home in Springfield Sunday night alongside a 27-year-old female.

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Former PHPD reserve found dead in Greene County home - Bolivar Herald-Free Press (subscription)

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Hyundai Hope On Wheels Presents Rady Children’s Hospital with $50000 Hyundai Impact Award to support pediatric … – PR Newswire (press release)

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017

Rady Children's Hospital will use the funds to support the work of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Jeanie Spies. Nurse Practitioner Spies oversees integrative medicine services that are provided to children undergoing treatment for cancer to improve quality of life and minimize side effects associated with the treatment.

In 2017, Hope On Wheels will award $15 million toward pediatric cancer research and programs. This brings the organization's donation total to $130 million since Hyundai joined thefightagainst pediatric cancer in 1998. With this latest grant, Rady Children's Hospital has received more than $1.3 million from Hope On Wheels.

"Throughout the country, talented doctors are working tirelessly to help kids fight cancer by conducting research or providing bedside care," said Scott Fink, chairman, Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors. "Our goal at Hope On Wheels is to provide these doctors with the grant funds they need to perform their lifesaving work. Superheroes come in all forms, but for children and families battling cancer superheroes wear lab coats."

The $50,000 Hyundai Impact Award to Nurse Practitioner Spies will be officially presented to Rady Children's Hospital today, August 2 at 10 a.m. During the event, San Diego-area children battling cancer will participate in the program's signature Handprint Ceremony, in which they'll dip their hands in paint and place their handprints on a white 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. Their colorful handprints on the official Hope Vehicle represent their individual and collective journeys, hopes and dreams.

Doctors and researchers that receive a grant from Hope On Wheels are named Hyundai Scholars and are presented with a special lab coat. This year, Hope On Wheels will further recognize its Hyundai Scholars for their incredible efforts on behalf of children battling cancer through a campaign called "Superheroes Wear Lab Coats." The video series will showcase their lifesaving work. To learn more about the campaign, please visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org.

For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and to view a complete list of this year's grant winners, please visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org/research. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, twitter.com/HopeOnWheels or instagram.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels.

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELSHyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. HHOW is one of the largest non-profit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 835 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $130 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICAHyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through 835 dealerships nationwide. All new Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully-transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit http://www.HyundaiAssurance.comPlease visit our media website at http://www.hyundainews.comHyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyundai-hope-on-wheels-presents-rady-childrens-hospital-with-50000-hyundai-impact-award-to-support-pediatric-cancer-services-300498370.html

SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels

http://www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org

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Hyundai Hope On Wheels Presents Rady Children's Hospital with $50000 Hyundai Impact Award to support pediatric ... - PR Newswire (press release)

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Alternative Medicine for Cancer – Integrative Medicine | MD …

Sunday, July 30th, 2017

The terms complementary, alternative and integrative medicine are often used interchangeably. However, they are not the same, and each field is a distinctive approach to the treatment of disease. The following terms explain the differences between these medical fields.

Conventional medicine is the "traditional" medicine as practiced by a medical doctor (M.D.), a doctor of osteopathy (D.O.) and other allied health professionals.

Alternative medicine is used in place of, or instead of, conventional medicine. Many alternative therapies and drugs do not have scientific evidence to back up their claims of effectiveness. Some have no therapeutic benefits at all or can even be dangerous.

Complementary medicine is a group of mostly non-medical approaches to help patients cope with cancer and treatment side effects, pain, depression and anxiety.Research data has verified the benefits of many complementary therapies, including acupuncture, yoga, massage, stress reduction techniques and nutritional supplements.

Integrative medicine is the practice of combining scientifically proven complementary therapies with conventional medicine as part of a comprehensive plan to treat both the disease and its physical and emotional side effects.

Many cancer patients find relief from complementary therapies, while others have found them to be ineffective or have reported problems.Although some complementary therapies are useful for cancer patients, others may be harmful in certain situations.

We strongly encourage you to consult with your oncologist before trying any complementary therapies. It also is important to inform them about any therapies you currently use that may affect your cancer treatment.

MD Andersons Integrative Medicine Center offers many complementary therapies for cancer patients that have been shown to be safe and effective.

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Alternative Medicine for Cancer - Integrative Medicine | MD ...

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Integrative medicine seeks to mend the mind-body split | KALW – KALW

Sunday, July 30th, 2017

Western medicine once shunned alternative treatments like acupuncture, acupressure or the Indian system of Ayurveda. But the field of medicine is now taking them more seriously.

Proof can be found in the emerging field of integrative medicine. Its approach is to combine modern medicine with alternative and complementary approaches, to take into account the whole person. Dr. Sudha Prathikanti a strong believer in integrative medicine. As the daughter of Indian immigrants, she grew up around meditation, yoga and Ayurveda. Like her father she went to medical school and more recently, established the first integrative psychiatry program at UC San Francisco's Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. She's also researched the effectiveness of using yoga to treat major depression.

PRATHIKANTI: We no longer have to have this argument about "is it in the domain of the physical or is it in the domain of the psychological?"; And then the larger question is "what is spiritual?"

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Integrative medicine seeks to mend the mind-body split | KALW - KALW

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Biz Buzz for July 31, 2017 – Duluth News Tribune

Sunday, July 30th, 2017

St. Luke's promoted Jennifer Viergutz to director of laboratory, replacing Jean Elton Turbes, who retired from the same position after 15 years.

Viergutz graduated from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth with a bachelor's degree in clinical laboratory science as well as dual Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees. She started as a generalist at Lake View Hospital in Two Harbors 17 years ago and then moved to St. Luke's. She has held a variety of positions in the laboratory including technical specialist of the immunology section, technical services coordinator and most recently, operations manager.

Essentia Health announced the following.

Jacob Swette, a licensed acupuncturist joined the integrative medicine department at Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic in Duluth. Swette is a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and earned his master's degree at Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, Colo. He's certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and licensed to practice in Minnesota by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.

Dr. Steven Haasken, a pediatric intensivist, joined Essentia Health-St. Mary's Children's Hospital in Duluth. Originally from Mora, Minn., Haasken earned a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. He completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City and a fellowship in pediatric critical care at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatrics.

Orthopaedic Associates of Duluth hired Tanner Hermes as a physician assistant. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and health promotions in 2006, and from Arcadia University in Newark, Del., with a master's degree in medical science in 2010.

Hermes has more than 13 years of experience, with more than six years of clinical and surgical orthopaedic experience including sports medicine and joint replacement. He was previously an orthopaedic physician assistant at multiple practices in Washington state, including Orthopedic Physician Associates in Seattle and Western Washington Medical Group in Everett. While in Seattle, Hermes was the physician assistant to Dr. Edward Khalfayan, the head team physician for the Seattle Seahawks and Mariners teams.

He is a member of Physician Assistants in Orthopaedic Surgery and the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Hermes is board certified by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Lakewalk Surgery Center hired Ann Fosness of Alborn as administrator. Fosness has more than 20 years of industry experience, most recently serving as director of nursing at Essentia Health East for three years. She was responsible for more than 170 managers and staff members in the operating room, post-anesthesia care unit, maternal child health, medical/surgical, inpatient rehab, telemetry, intensive care unit and emergency departments. She served on the Patient Advisory Council and formed Nurse Practice Councils in each unit to enhance patient safety and satisfaction. Before that Fosness served as director of clinic operations, clinic manager of orthopedics and nursing supervisor for Essentia Health East since 2001.

She holds a bachelor's degree in nursing and a master's degree in business administration, both from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, and is a member of Mesabi Range College Advisory Council and the Minnesota Organization of Leader in Nursing Professional Group.

The law offices of Maki, Ledin, Bick and Olson in Superior hired attorneys Joseph Rosenthal and Lucas Wyshnytzky.

Rosenthal, a Twin Ports native, is a 1999 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a 2008 graduate of City University of New York School of Law. He was a Peggy Browning Fellow at Bernstein and Lipsett in Washington, D.C. in 2007, a fellowship awarded to law students interested in pursuing a career in union-side labor law. During law school, he also worked for Service Employees International Union Local 1199P and for the New York State Attorney General's Office-Labor Bureau advocating for worker's rights issues.

Most recently Rosenthal worked in St. Paul on trial and litigation matters. He is licensed in Wisconsin and practices in the areas of criminal defense, family law, labor and employment law, and Social Security Disability.

Wyshnytzky is originally from Hawthorn Woods, Ill., and earned bachelor's degrees in political science and legal studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He interned in the Governor's Office, which led him to be hired as an external relations coordinator for the Governor's Advance Team.

He attended Marquette University Law School with a primary focus on environmental law, and served as an intern for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Bureau of Legal Services and for Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. He also served as President of the Environmental Law Society.

Wyshnytzky practices in the areas of criminal defense, landlord tenant, collections, juvenile, guardianships and family law, and is active in the Superior Jaycees and PLAST-Ukrainian Scouting Organization.

AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS

Bigfork Valley Hospital in Bigfork received five-star ratings in all 11 categories for patient satisfaction in a survey coordinated by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Ninety-nine percent of Bigfork Valley patients say they would definitely recommend the hospital. More than 4,000 hospitals participated in the survey. Within Minnesota, Bigfork Valley scored at the top of 108 reporting hospitals in six of the 11 categories measuring patient perception of a hospital experience.

Hermantown Area Chamber of Commerce announced Julie Lupa was named the recipient of their Outstanding Ambassador Award during a July 19 Ambassador luncheon.

Lupa, a mortgage originator with Superior Choice Credit Union, has over 21 years of experience in the credit union mortgage lending field. She promotes homeownership in the community and is a volunteer with 1Roof Housing for homebuyer education classes. She became a new Chamber Ambassador earlier this year and quickly became a leader within the chamber's membership. She helps with monthly luncheon registration, makes sure everyone is welcomed and everything is organized. She conveys new ideas for the Ambassador Program and ways to help the Hermantown community.

Real Living Messina and Associates in Duluth was awarded a 2017 QE Top 10 Medium Companies award for exceptional customer service satisfaction. The QE Award spans 22 states and is based on the results of an independent survey limited solely to buyers and sellers who were in a real estate transaction that closed with participating real estate companies from Jan. 1, 2016 through Dec. 31, 2016. The award was created by Quality Service Certification Inc. to foster, encourage and recognize the highest levels of service quality and customer satisfaction.

St. Luke's was the recipient of an American College of Cardiology's NCDR Action Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2017. St. Luke's is one of less than 200 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes St. Luke's for consistently following treatment guidelines in the Action Registry for eight consecutive quarters. Guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling, and cardiac rehabilitation. The hospital also met a performance standard of 90 percent for specific performance measures.

Bob Falsani, Jim Balmer, Jim Peterson and Sean Quinn, partners of the law firm Falsani, Balmer, Peterson and Quinn, were recognized as 2017 Super Lawyers by Minnesota Super Lawyer magazine.

Falsani, a certified civil trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, has been honored 25 times. He has published more than 80 articles on worker's compensation and personal injury litigation and lectures widely on the subjects.

Balmer has been named a Minnesota Super Lawyer every year since 1998, and is a certified civil trial specialist by the NBTA and a senior civil trial specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocacy and has lectured extensively on trial tactics, court rules and evidentiary issues.

Peterson is a certified civil trial specialist by the NBTA and a senior civil trial specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association. He's been named a Super Lawyer fourteen times.

Quinn has had more than 40 articles on workers' compensation and Social Security disability published and currently teaches community education classes on these subjects. He has chaired the Volunteer Attorney Programs board of directors since 2012, and is a member of the Minnesota Association of Justice board of governors, where he co-chairs their workers' compensation committee. He has been named a Super Laywer eight times.

CERTIFICATIONS/ACCREDITATIONS

Viewcrest Health Center announced registered nurse Amanda Blaskowski obtained her Nadona Certificate for Infection Prevention Board Certification.

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Conference on integrative ayurveda – The New Indian Express

Sunday, July 30th, 2017

KOCHI: A two-day conference, beginning on August 6, on integrative Ayurveda and modern medicine, titled Amrita Samyogam 2017, is being held in collaboration with Amrita Universitys School of Ayurveda. More than 60 experts and 1,000 delegates from around the world will be taking part. It will be inaugurated by the Union Minister of State for AYUSH, Shripad Yasso Naik.

The event will bring together allopathic doctors, Ayurveda practitioners and modern scientists on a common platform. It will identify strategies for integrating Ayurveda with Allopathy in the management of cancer, auto-immune diseases like arthritis, diabetes, neuro-degenerative diseases, and mental health. The conference will demonstrate how integrative medicine can be made a reality through examples of clinical integration, basic science studies, and application of new technologies.

Said Prof. Shantikumar Nair, Director, Centre for Nanosciences & Molecular Medicine, Amrita University: Integrating Indias ancient tradition of Ayurveda with evidence-based modern medicine has the potential to revolutionise world healthcare. Integrative medicine is becoming a popular specialty among physicians in Western countries because of the myriad ways in which it can benefit patients.Dr Nair says that it focuses on healing the person in his entirety rather than merely treating the symptoms by investigating the root cause of illness. It is much more patient-centric and can positively impact chronic and lifestyle diseases for which modern medicine has no answer. Western medicine and Indian ancient healing sciences can be a win-win combination to effectively tackle the enormous healthcare challenges facing humanity, says Nair.

The event is expected to trigger important collaborations across the world in the field of integrative medicine, especially academic collaborations and funding opportunities.

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Cannabis for our canines – The Spokesman-Review

Sunday, July 30th, 2017

When Deb Lynams golden retriever Benny suffered a major medical episode, she initially sought out traditional veterinary medicine. Unfortunately, she concluded that the recommendation she received could have harmed or even killed him.

Two years ago Benny had a massive seizure.

It was such a scary event, recalled Lynam. His body was flipping out of control all over the living room. But the vet wasnt going to do anything because it was just one seizure.

Lynam brought Benny back to the Spokane-area home also shared by Flinn, another golden retriever, and Twosie, a Jack Russell terrier. Then Benny had two more seizures.

He was so out of it that he grabbed my hand and wouldnt let go. The vet ran tests: idiopathic epilepsy from an unknown cause. She prescribed barbiturates.

As a nursing assistant at St. Lukes Rehabilitations brain injury unit, she knew that side effects of barbiturates could include stupor, loss of coordination, instability, irritability, and even death, at least in human.

Her son suggested cannabis oil, she never had considered for pets.

I finally agreed. We gave Benny a dose after that third seizure, and another dose the next morning, Lynam said. He had one more seizure, which only lasted five seconds. He got up, walked away, and has not had another seizure in more than two years.

CBD hemp oil is typically made from low-THC hemp. THC is the molecular compound that causes mental and physical reactions associated with general marijuana use, while CBD is another natural compound that provides pain relief.

Lynam now spends about $50 a month on treats for Benny, including CBD oils that she drizzles over his food, along with Canna-Pet, a brand of flavored organic biscuits suggested for dogs. She finds some items online and at Sativa Sisters, a Spokane retailer.

Im a big advocate for CBD in treating seizures in dogs, she said. Im sticking with what works and hopefully it will continue to be readily available.

Now, Benny isnt the only pet to benefit from them.

Flinn, her 9-year-old golden retriever, has come up with a limp so Im starting to use CBD on her. She has bad anxiety when we go to agility and obedience trials, where she gets really nervous. I give her CBD dog gummy treats, and she seems better in public Im a true believer.

The American Veterinary Medical Association has encouraged its members to investigate cannabis use for ailing pets. In a 2013 professional journal article, Veterinary Marijuana? the AVMA suggested that further research could prevent accidental overdoses from owners well-meaning attempts to relieve pets pain and suffering.

The article continued identifying CBD use to treat behavior-based disorders, including separation anxiety and noise phobia, as well as irritable bowel syndrome and feline immunodeficiency virus infection; for management of pain, nausea, and seizures; and as an appetite stimulant. Cannabis oil is also being used topically to treat tumors.

During the 2016 Nestl Purina Companion Animal Nutrition Summit, veterinarian Susan Wynn of BluePearly Georgia Veterinary Specialists Nutrition and Integrative Medicine Department, discussed therapeutic intervention and the use of cannabis on companion animals.

Wynn told attendees that although veterinarians cannot recommend cannabis, they can advise on toxicity, since dogs have more brain receptors for cannabis than humans, which makes them especially sensitive.

Similar conflicts in providing advice are seen at Washington State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, where due to federal funding, cannabis is considered an illicit substance so cant be researched for possible medical use in pets. But toxicity can be discussed.

Currently, most pet products containing CBD are not regulated, something the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finds troubling. In letters sent to companies selling CBD products for pets in 2015, the FDA expressed concerns about marketing messages and labeling that claimed the products help pets with asthma, cancer, chronic pain, dementia, seizures and other maladies.

This uncertainty over verbiage and effectiveness also caused the FDA to caution owners about using any cannabis products for pets, without first talking to their vet about other treatment options.

Despite the FDAs lack of guidance, many pet experts report nothing but success in CBD oil treatments. One of those experts is Montana-based Nancy Tanner, certified professional dog trainer, and owner of Paws and People. She has several clients who give products to their dogs for anxiety.

For dogs under 20 pounds, and especially picky eaters, CBD is available in small tablets containing powder in clear vegetarian capsules. Bigger dogs can have oils mixed into food, or dog treats such as Canna-Pet.

Its not a sedative. It allows a dog to take a deep breath and reset, she added, noting that it also helps dogs suffering from past trauma, but not necessarily specific events such as thunderstorms or fireworks.

Though some pooch owners say dogs can benefit from cannabis, cats may not be as receptive. While oils like lavender and chamomile work for dogs, they are toxic for cats, said Nancy Tanner, certified professional dog trainer and owner of Paws and People. Felines and canines are built differently. Humans and dogs, however, have similar receptors and are receptive to CBD as a medicinal plant. With the exception of a few Canna-Pet products especially for cats, most pet products are intended for dogs only.

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Frederick Regional Healthcare System set to open new cancer … – Frederick News Post (subscription)

Sunday, July 30th, 2017

Six days before the official opening of the James M. Stockman Cancer Institute in Frederick, the sand-colored lobby was already bustling with radiology patients coming in for treatment.

I hope your doctor has good things to say today, one smiling nurse told a man waiting with family members. Other patients settled into chairs beside wide plate glass windows overlooking the institutes newly landscaped healing garden. Across the lobby, a row of touch-screen check-in kiosks blinked, set up and ready for use.

The overall atmosphere hushed and efficient and full of natural light was exactly what Dr. Patrick Mansky pictured when he thought of an optimal healing environment for cancer patients. Holistic care including the importance of creating comfortable clinical conditions has become a prime focus in treatment over the past 10 to 15 years, said Mansky, the medical director of medical oncology at the new institute.

Its a big change, and the idea of optimal healing flowed into how the new building was constructed, he added. We wanted an environment that was centered around the patient and supported recovery.

The Stockman Cancer Institute, set to fully open July 31, is the newest expansion of the oncology program within Frederick Regional Health System the umbrella organization that encompasses Frederick Memorial Hospital and its affiliated clinics. The new building will replace the FRHS Cancer Therapy Center on Seventh Street and offer several new services to patients, said Dr. Mark Soberman, the medical director of the FRHS cancer service line.

One new amenity, on the second floor of the institute, is an integrative medicine suite that accommodates supplementary treatments such as acupuncture and yoga. The Complementary Therapy Clinic painted a sunny yellow includes a large front room for movement therapy classes and several adjoining areas fitted with massage tables and a row of lockers.

The institute also includes brand-new oncology equipment, including the latest model of the CyberKnife radiosurgery system. The large, sleek machine stark white and reminiscent of a prop from the USS Enterprise cuts radiation treatment time in half and is the only one of its kind in Maryland, D.C. and northern Virginia, said Dustin Simonson, a medical physicist at the SCI.

In the old model, the radiation beam only came out in a circle, but this new beam can shape the radiation to the tumor and allows us to treat larger growths, he added. Its also more flexible and heavy-duty, so we know were able to treat patients at least 50 percent faster.

The biggest coup detat, though, is the institutes ability to provide the same level of care in a much nicer environment, Soberman said. The gently curved building was designed to minimize so-called patient pong the practice of sending visitors to different areas of the hospital to meet with different specialists.

In the SCI, changing rooms flow into treatment rooms via sliding wood doors, and patients will be seen by multiple specialists in the same exam room. On the second floor, a multidisciplinary clinic allows physicians to confer and design a coordinated treatment plan for patients.

Mansky also excitedly pointed out five different color schemes in various areas of the building. Green for the infusion center, where all 20 open bays are equipped with touch-screen tablets, and blue for exam and changing rooms. The radiation and integrative medicine clinics are painted a joyful yellow, while the multidisciplinary clinic is turquoise to symbolize strength, he said. Purple reserved for the Center for Chest Disease is meant to denote courage.

Thats part of the optimal healing environment and also helps with wayfinding, Mansky said. The color, lighting, architecture everything was designed to put patients at ease.

On a solidly practical level, the SCI will also be cheaper, Soberman said. Because the center is separate from the main campus of Frederick Memorial Hospital, FRHS executives negotiated with the state Health Services Cost Review Commission to categorize the institute as part of the unregulated medical market the same classification as doctors offices or free-standing clinics. The new classification allows the SCI to offer services at lower rates than the main hospital.

Up to 40 percent lower, in fact, Soberman said. You dont have facility fees, you dont have physician fees. This is basically no more expensive than going to a private doctors office.

A dedicated financial counselor will also be on staff to consult with patients on payment options and financing treatment.

When it opens on Monday, the institute will host 92 staff members, including eight physicians and one nurse practitioner, Mansky said. The building measures 62,500 square feet and cost a total of $40.5 million, including new oncology equipment. $19.5 million of the total cost was raised through community philanthropy, according to Soberman, including a $3 million gift from local business owner James M. Stockman. Stockman, 86, owns Rockledge Plaza on the Golden Mile.

Construction took a little more than 16 months, from the groundbreaking on March 16, 2016, to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new institute on Thursday.

Stockman, who attended the ceremony, hoped his donation to the new institute would be an image booster for the local health care system. While the gift was inspired by his father, a cancer survivor, he said he also wanted to help the county overall.

As far as Im concerned, theres nothing the matter with hometown pride, he said. Its a good thing for Frederick County, but I think it will also put the hospital on the map. Frederick Memorial will be much more recognizable in the region.

FRHS has also been part of the MD Anderson Cancer Network since May 2016. The 16-member network, centralized at the University of Texas, allows local oncology specialists to offer patients more access to clinical trials and experimental treatments, Mansky said.

Follow Kate Masters on Twitter: @kamamasters.

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Living With Lyme: Diagnosis took three years for Carlisle woman – The Sentinel

Sunday, July 30th, 2017

Vickie Holder was preparing to kill herself.

The intense, undiagnosed pain she endured for three years had taken its toll. She started to pay down credit cards and put her affairs in order, deciding that if the pain didnt stop on its own, she would stop it her own way.

I could not live with that pain. I just couldnt live with it. I would just go crying, Holder said.

Sitting at a table at Fays Country Kitchen, the Carlisle restaurant she runs with her husband, Jim, Holder shared the darkest chapter of her story, hoping that it would help someone anyone in a similar situation find an answer.

And, shes certain the answer is Lyme disease.

If you have something thats wrong with you and nobody can pinpoint it, you have Lyme disease, Holder said. If youve been to all kinds of doctors and nobody can find anything wrong with you, I guarantee its Lyme disease.

Finding a diagnosis

It all started three years ago with pain behind her eyes that felt like it was in the eye socket itself, Holder said.

She went to an ophthalmologist who diagnosed her with dry eye. Holder said she had dealt with dry eye in the past and knew this was something different. She sought a second opinion, and that person also rendered the diagnosis of dry eye. A third opinion from Johns Hopkins Hospital after numerous tests also cited dry eye as the cause of the pain.

Holder remained unconvinced.

It wasnt that dry that it should have caused me the problems I was describing to them, Holder said.

The pain persisted, and eventually she said it felt like something was eating away at the nerves in her face.

Holder started trying anything anyone suggested in search of relief. Looking at a list in a folder containing the paperwork chronicling her journey, she started checking off all the ways she tried to ease the pain: acupuncture, muscle testing, ionic cleanses, detox programs, visits to a salt cave, meditation, reiki, clean eating, chiropractic care, massages and essential oils. She even bought a pulsed electromagnetic field therapy mat.

I was doing all of this all along with going to my family doctor numerous times, and him giving me numerous medications and numerous diagnoses, Holder said.

Doctors, including a neurologist and an infectious disease specialist, tried CAT scans, brain scans and numerous blood tests over a three-year period to try to get to the root of the problem. Four of those blood tests included tests for Lyme disease that returned negative.

All four tests were negative. All at my expense, she said.

Doctors even told her that what she needed might be a psychologist.

Through it all, Holder had the nagging feeling that her condition could be Lyme disease.

Nobody even said Lyme disease. None of them. I was asking them, Could this be Lyme disease? Holder said.

Other symptoms that could have helped to pinpoint Lyme disease were easily explained away by other causes. Aches in her leg? Thats from putting in 12-15 hours a day at the restaurant. Feet hurting? Holder thought she needed new shoes. She had no energy, but she was taking care of her father in addition to working long hours.

I had a reason for everything except for my eyes, she said.

The pattern continued for nearly three years at the cost of around $20,000 until a friend made a suggestion that proved to be the turning point in Holders search for answers.

A friend of mine said, I want you to go see Dr. Noonan. I am telling you, you have Lyme disease, Holder said.

Confronting Lyme disease

Dr. Noonan is Dr. Frank Noonan, who practices family medicine at Central Pennsylvania Integrative Medicine in Myerstown in Lebanon County. Type his name into Google, and the words Lyme disease will come up along with his name as a suggested search. What doesnt come up in this age of connectivity is a website or an official Facebook page.

Holder contacted Noonan and spent a few hours filling out paperwork in preparation for her first visit. Based solely on that paperwork, Noonan was almost certain he knew the cause of Holders persistent pain.

Just by my paperwork, he was 99.9 percent sure I had Lyme disease, she said.

Noonan ordered yet another test for Lyme disease, but this one was different. These test results went to a lab in California that specializes in tick-borne illnesses, a lab that is reputed to perform one of the most accurate tests in the country for Lyme disease.

It took three weeks for the test results to come back, but Holder finally had her answer on March 6 she had Lyme disease.

All these four tests that I had? I just assumed I didnt have Lyme disease because they all came back negative, but theyre called false negatives, Holder said.

Dr. Timothy Stonesifer of Cumberland Valley Parochial Medical Clinic in Shippensburg said he sees patients like Holder often. Doctor after doctor will diagnose other causes for their symptoms until one doctor is willing to do different blood testing.

We really dont have an accurate test, he said. The sad part is its the FDA-approved test.

Stonesifer said better testing would help with early detection and treatment. It could also help to define how persistent the disease is or determine whether extended use of antibiotics or the use of multiple antibiotics would be effective for some patients.

More funding for research is essential to finding that better test. Funding for Lyme disease at both the state and federal levels lags far behind funding dedicated to other health concerns.

I believe theres more money for leprosy and swimmers ear in the United States, Stonesifer said.

The road ahead

Holder started treatment on March 30. Noonan prescribed three antibiotics that she takes twice a day. She also takes a probiotic as well as another medication that affects the gel surrounding bacteria to allow the antibiotics to do their work.

Noonan told her that it would take at least five weeks before she would start to see results.

It was exactly five weeks until I felt relief, Holder said.

Eight weeks after the treatments started, Holder returned to Noonans office for a change to her antibiotic routine and to undergo an IV treatment.

Every six weeks, Holder travels to Myerstown to receive one bag of vitamin C and B vitamins to boost her immune system and a second bag containing a detox agent that allows the dead Lyme bacteria to be eliminated from the body. The whole process takes about two hours.

This will be the routine for the next six to nine months. Each treatment will cost $460, which is not covered by insurance, Holder said.

Speaking now, with a diagnosis and with a treatment plan, Holder almost sounds incredulous when she thinks about where her undiagnosed Lyme disease almost took her.

To take your life over something thats been misdiagnosed over three years? she asked

She knows now that her condition is treatable, but not curable. Its likely she could experience a flare-up in the future.

I can live right now with whats going on with me, Holder said.

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