Integration between orthodox medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture for inpatients: Three years experience in the first hospital for Integrated Medicine in Italy

Abstract

The hospital in Pitigliano (Tuscany) is the first hospital in Italy to put into practice a model of Integrated Medicine. This clinical setting caters for the use of complementary medicine (homeopathy and acupuncture (針灸 zhēn jiǔ)) alongside orthodox therapies (conventional medicine). The therapeutic model implicates doctors who are experts in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM; 補充與替代醫學 bǔ chōng yǔ tì dài yī xué) and the rest of the hospital personnel working together as equals. This contribution explains the difficulties, critical aspects and potential of this innovative setting.The clinical setting for Integrated Medicine was evaluated in part through observation and in part through the analysis of approval questionnaires. The writers of the questionnaires were the orthodox medical personnel and the hospital patients.The project is still evolving today in spite of the initial partial contrariety of some doctors in the hospital and some external doctors in the area. However, it can already be considered a positive experience, as confirmed by the high approval gained from many health workers and most of the hospital patients. Moreover, the follow-up carried out through specific surgeries dedicated to CAM is extremely positive.Up to now 532 inpatients suffering from acute illnesses, relapse of a chronic illness or neurological or orthopaedic rehabilitation following strokes, brain haemorrhage, neurological illness or limb prosthesis operations have been treated. This work has tried to illustrate the innovative and positive experience for the Italian public health authorities so that it may also be useful to anyone who would like to promote similar initiatives within its public health Institution.

Integrated Medicine Strongly Improves Post-Stroke Rehabilitative Performance in a Public Health Facility in Italy

“…The protocol described herein was made possible by the opportunity offered by the Tuscany Regional Authority to open an IM center under the umbrella of the regional health service, now active since 2011. The setting at the Manciano center proved highly effective from the very beginning [7,8] as no conflicts between the CAM doctors, conventional doctors (neurologists and orthopaedists) and other medical staff (physiotherapists, speech therapists and nurses) have ever arisen. We believe that the small size of the facility, which has just 21 beds, was a great help in fostering effective and harmonious cooperation between the various health workers and the patients.…”

“…As already reported [7,8], an IM Hospital was opened in Tuscany in February 2011 which has now become the Tuscany Reference Centre for Integrated Medicine in Hospitals. The center forms part of the regional public health service and now has three active clinical settings involving IM: one in Pitigliano Hospital, one in the Manciano Rehabilitation Center and one in the largest hospital in its province, Grosseto.…”

“…The center forms part of the regional public health service and now has three active clinical settings involving IM: one in Pitigliano Hospital, one in the Manciano Rehabilitation Center and one in the largest hospital in its province, Grosseto. The Manciano center's patients [7] include stroke patients, who convalesce in the center for three weeks after discharging from acute care to undergoing a rehabilitation programme involving physiotherapists, neurologists and orthopaedists. Since February 2011, these inpatients have also been offered CAM (homeopathy and acupuncture).…”

“…The sole enrollment criterion is their presence at the center following their admission on Wednesday or Thursday, the days when the CAM doctors attend the center. In any case, the opportunity to enroll them is the result of an objective shared by both the conventional doctors and CAM experts making use of the clinical setting in place at the center [7]. Almost all of the invited patients (95.92%) agreed to the integrated therapy and signed an integrated therapy consent form.…”

Effect of Integrated Medicine on Physical Performances of Orthopaedic and Stroke Patients: A Propensity Score-Matched Study

“…The main purpose of the project was the close cooperation of conventional doctors, doctors specialised in homeopathy and acupuncture and healthcare personnel under an IM treatment model [1]. The project was financed by the Tuscany regional health authority with the aim of verifying the efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in healthcare.…”