Article Figures & Data
Tables
Patient Focus Group Characteristics Total 1 2 3 4 Patients, No. 44 12 12 9 11 Sex, women, n 22 6 5 5 6 Age, mean (range), y 55 (21–83) 66 (51–82) 55 (28–83) 47 (21–70) 50 (21–66) Education High school graduate 4 – 1 2 1 Trade or vocational 3 – – 3 – Some college 7 – – – 7 College graduate or higher 30 12 11 4 3 Race White 33 9 8 7 9 Black 4 2 2 – – Hispanic 2 1 – – 1 American Indian 3 – 2 – 1 Asian 1 – 1 – – Mixed 3 – 1 2 – Clinician Focus Group 5 6 7 Clinicians, No. 32 10 10 12 Sex, women, n 22 7 7 8 Age, mean (range), y 51 (30–62) 54 (32–62) 49 (33–62) 51 (30–62) Education Registered nurse 7 2 3 2 Physician assistant 3 1 1 1 Physician 22 7 6 9 >25 y in practice, % 75 90 70 67 Mentioned by Both Clinicians and Patients No. of Patient Groups No. of Clinician Groups Mentioned by Patients Only No. of Patient Groups Mentioned by Clinicians Only No. of Clinician Groups Acupuncture 4 2 Affirmations 1 Acupressure 2 Ayurvedic medicine 1 2 Aromatherapy 1 Balance heat 1 Chiropractic 3 2 Aura cleansing 2 Breathing techniques 1 Therapy, counseling 4 1 Biofeedback 1 Chinese herbs 2 Herbs 2 1 Enhanced external counterpulsation 1 Cognitive behavioral training 1 Homeopathy 2 2 Hyperbaric chamber 1 Craniosacral therapy 2 Home care, home visits 2 1 Martial arts 2 Cultural therapies 3 Hospice 1 1 Midwifery and doula care 2 Diabetes conversation maps 1 Hypnotherapy 4 2 Nonallopathic medicine 2 Feldenkrais 1 Meditation 1 2 Shamanism 1 Guided visualization 1 Naturopathy 3 2 Speech therapy 1 High colonics 2 Occupational therapy 2 1 Laetrile/amygdalin 1 Physical therapy 3 1 Moxibustion 1 Placebo 1 3 Osteopathy 1 Reflexology 2 1 Psychedelics 1 Supplements 1 3 Reiki 2 Support groups 2 1 Relaxation techniques 1 Tai chi 2 2 Rolfing 1 Yoga 3 3 Sedative/hypnotic medications 1 Smoking cessation programs 1 Stress management 1
Additional Files
Supplemental Appendix
Supplemental Appendix. Focus Group Guides: Exploration of New Options for Promoting Healing in Primary Care: Key Questions to Guide Patient and Clinician Focus Groups
Files in this Data Supplement:
- Supplemental data: Appendix - PDF file, 2 pages, 205 KB
The Article in Brief
Patient and Clinician Openness to Including a Broader Range of Healing Options in Primary Care
Clarissa Hsu , and colleagues
Background Although patients and clinicians have expressed strong interest in complementary and alternative medical therapies, larger health care organizations have been slow to integrate such approaches. This study explores beliefs and attitudes of primary care patients and clinicians about integrating additional healing options into primary care.
What This Study Found Doctors and patients are open to integrating complementary and alternative medicine therapies into primary care, especially for patients whose conditions are not responding well to standard medical treatments. Focus groups with 44 patients and 32 clinicians revealed that while patients are open to including a wider variety of healing options, they desire some evidence of effectiveness. Moreover, patients want physicians to introduce recommendations as options, not orders, and are interested in hearing about the clinicians��� personal and practice experience with different treatments. Clinicians are most concerned about the safety of treatments, specifically herbs and dietary supplements. They express the need for better information about the nature, effectiveness, and safety of alternative healing options, as well as current and reliable information on practitioners and resources in their communities to whom they can confidently refer patients.
Implications
- The authors call for further research to clarify the safety, clinical effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of specific healing options and of the integration of various packages of such options into primary care.
