WASHINGTON—July 19, 2006—More than a quarter of surveyed hospitals are offering complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) programs to the patients they serve, according to a new report released today by Health Forum, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association (AHA). The report is based on nearly 1,400 responses to a survey designed to take a close look at the types of CAM programs and services being offered by U.S. hospitals.
CAM is not based solely on traditional western allopathic medical teachings, and can include acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, diet and lifestyle changes, herbal medicine, massage therapy and more.
“More and more, patients are requesting care beyond what most consider to be traditional health services,” said study authors Sita Ananth of Health Forum and William Martin, PsyD, of the College of Commerce at DePaul University in Chicago. “And hospitals are responding to the needs of the communities they serve by offering these therapies.”
While patient demand is the primary reason for offering CAM services, hospitals also cited clinical effectiveness and the fact that CAM services reflect the hospital’s desire to treat “the whole person—body, mind and spirit.” In addition, offering CAM helps hospitals differentiate themselves, attract new patients and provide additional services to existing patients.
Other survey results include:
Nearly 27 percent of survey respondents offer one or more CAM therapies in the hospital;
The East North Central region of the U.S. (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin) continues to lead the nation in number of hospitals that offer CAM programs; and
The majority of CAM services are paid for out-of-pocket by patients.
The biannual survey was mailed in December 2005 to 6,347 U.S. hospitals. The report is available online at www.healthforumonlinestore.com (click on the Data Products tab in the right upper corner) or by calling 800-242-2626.
About the AHA
The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include 4,800 hospitals, health care systems and other providers of care and 35,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA Web site at www.aha.org.
About Health Forum
Health Forum, an American Hospital Association company, is a trusted source of information in the areas of coding, data, publications and education. Health Forum’s products and services seek to advance hospital leadership and improve organizational performance. Offerings include magazines, books, subscription services, custom publications, databases and conferences, as well as advertising and sponsorship opportunities. For more information, visit www.healthforum.com.