Healthcare Reform “No Birthday” For Holistic Medicine

With the re-election of President Obama, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka ObamaCare, will continue to roll out. In the trenches, holistic practitioners are struggling to understand exactly how the reform plan will affect them. Some are optimistic about greater inclusion of holistic modalities; others see trouble ahead.

Massive Survey Shows Many Clinicians at a Breaking Point

According to a new survey of more than 13,500 US doctors by the Physicians’ Foundation, over 80% feel medicine is in decline, 77% are pessimistic about the future, and over half are planning major changes in their practices. That’s a poor prognosis for the future health of the nation’s healthcare systems.

“A Burning Desire to Fix the System” Catching Up with Matthew Heineman, Director of “Escape Fire”

Filmmakers Matthew Heineman and Susan Froemke spent the last 3 years creating “Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare,” the most thorough and engaging healthcare documentary yet produced.

Holistic Primary Care caught up with Mr. Heineman, on the eve of Escape Fire’s 12-city theatrical release, and prior to a pecial screening for attendees at HPC’s 2012 Heal Thy Practice conference.

Influential Herbal Researcher Faces Blog-Prompted Academic Inquiry

A prominent and widely respected scientist who has published milestone articles on the healing properties of herbs such as turmeric, is facing a university investigation partially as a result of criticism by bloggers from websites like Retraction Watch. The case underscores the ambiguous role of unrefereed blogs in mediating science and influencing scientific reputations.

FDA Curtails Antibiotic Overuse in Livestock, But US Still Trails Global Standards

A Food & Drug Administration order prohibiting the use of certain antibiotics in livestock finally went into effect this summer, but according to some public health advocates, the FDA’s move is too little, too late.

Obama’s Supreme Court “Victory” Could Cost Him in November

Chief Justice John G. Roberts’ decision to uphold the Obama administration’s healthcare reform may very well have handed the President a “victory” that could cost him dearly in November.

Holistic Medicine is Military’s New Marching Order

In an effort to improve the wellbeing of active duty personnel and returning veterans, the three branches of the armed forces and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have made a firm commitment to the integration of holistic modalities into military medicine.

HPC Readers Sound Off on Health Care Reform Hearings

As the Supreme Court barbecued the Obama Administration’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March, we asked holistic & integrative practitioners to sound off on the constitutionality of the insurance mandate, the likelihood that the plan will withstand the Court’s grilling, and what, if anything, would be a better option.

Between the Boards: ABIHM Celebrates Success, Prepares for Transition

The American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine (ABIHM) recently completed its 12th annual review course and certification exam, capping more than 15 years of work in creating formal educational and credentialing standards. But as they celebrate their progress, ABIHM leaders are preparing for the emergence of a new certification board–the American Board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM) spearheaded by the leadership of the University of Arizona’s Center for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Scott Shannon, ABIHM’s current president, shares his views.

Bravewell Collaborative Honors Guarneri, Celebrates a Decade of Progress

The Bravewell Collaborative, the nation’s leading philanthropic organization supporting integrative medicine, gathered in New York to honor Dr. Mimi Guarneri, MD, director of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, and  to celebrate the evolution of holistic medicine over the last 10 years.

At a time when so much seems wrong with health care and with the world at large, the Bravewell gathering was a reminder of what can happen when people of goodwill come together, pool their brains and resources and take on major problems.