Findings from a three-round Delphi study: essential topics for interprofessional training on complementary and integrative medicine

Abstract

Background Integrating complementary medicine into medical care promotes patient-oriented care. A well-informed and collaborative professional healthcare team is essential for effective and patient-safe implementation of these methods. At present, the skills for patient counseling, therapy and care regarding complementary medicine vary among the professional groups involved. Professionals generally feel that they are not sufficiently qualified in this area. Curricular concepts for Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) are virtually non-existent in undergraduate interprofessional training. The aim of this study is to initiate a consensus-building process between various experts (professionals, students, patient and faculty representatives) in order to identify which topics should be the focus of such a curriculum. Methods A three-round Delphi study was carried out from March 2018 to March 2019 to compile the experience and knowledge of experts in the field of integrative patient care and interprofessional education. Sixty-five experts from Germany and German-speaking Switzerland with various professional backgrounds and experiences were asked to name general content, therapy methods and treatment reasons which should be addressed in interprofessional seminars. In the subsequent rounds these were rated on a seven-point Likert scale. The ratings were assigned to relevance groups and discussed in a final workshop in July 2019. Results The response rates for the three rounds were 76% (n = 50), 80% (n = 40) 90% (n = 36); and 21% (n = 11) for the final workshop. The experts suggested that topics could be aligned along the most common treatment reasons such as insomnia, generalized pain, fatigue and back pain. However, it is important that students also receive an overview of the evidence base for different therapeutic concepts, especially in the field of classical natural medicine, acupuncture and mind-body medicine, and that they get an overview of the effects and interactions of frequently used procedures. Conclusion Consensus was reached among the various experts on the most important topics for an interprofessional CIM curriculum. The systematic evaluation of the topics in this study can help to create a curriculum that achieves a high level of acceptance among teachers, lecturers and students, and thus facilitates implementation at universities and medical faculties.

Prevention and Treatment of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) with Non-Pharmacological Interventions: Clinical Recommendations from a Systematic Scoping Review and an Expert Consensus Process

“…The authors of the present study wanted to report proven treatment options, which might be considered in some patient cases, so that patient safety and well-being can be guaranteed. In addition, the framework of Kneipp has been in use for many years, especially in German-speaking countries, and has also become an established system in academic teaching of complementary therapies [ 126 , 127 ]. For collating and assembling the results from the expert symposium and the many study references, the authors found this classification system very useful, as every expert recommendation or study reference could be assigned to one of the 13 categories.…”

“…Three of the five Kneipp’s pillars have been presented as the top treatment options, as there has been much evidence identified for those pillars. Interested healthcare professionals might start by engaging themselves with a basic training in the five pillars of classical natural therapies on which the naturopathic health concept according to Kneipp is based [ 126 , 127 ].…”

Integrative Medicine in General Practice in Australia: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Education Pathways and Training Needs

“…Post-fellowship recognition considers the acquisition of knowledge and skills to meet prescribed competency outcomes, plus mastery through clinical experience. The IM Contextual Unit within the RACGP Curriculum 6 offers potential guidance, as does the extensive work that has been undertaken internationally to establish core competencies for IM physicians, 24,25 including GPs. [26][27][28] Considerable support was expressed for advancing the recognition of IM as a sub-specialty within conventional healthcare.…”

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“…What is considered consensus must be agreed by the researchers at the start of the study, based on the aims of research [44,46]. Consensus building workshops, after rounds, can be used to develop and refine new models and theory [48,54,55]. Workshops can minimise the common critique (that it does not allow for debate [56]) of the Delphi methodology by holding space for respondents to elaborate on their thoughts.…”

“…In total, 10 Panel Members were involved in rounds 1 and 9 panel members were involved in both rounds 2 and 3. In Delphi methodology, a diminished number of respondents is expected between rounds [54]. In the case of this research collection a panel member sadly passed-away during the time frame between rounds 1 and 2.…”