Integrative Medicine is an intelligent combination of conventional and alternative therapies. It is healing-oriented medicine that takes into account the whole person (body, mind, spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle. It combines conventional Western medicine with alternative treatments, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, biofeedback, yoga, and stress reduction techniques – all in the effort to treat the whole person.
It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship between the patient and practitioner. Integrative Medicine is evidence based and makes use of all appropriate therapies, both conventional and alternative. It emphasizes the broader concepts of health, healing, and preventive care using interventions that are natural, less invasive, and more cost effective.
Integrative Medicine involves customized personal care that involves the whole person perspective. This integrative approach allows participants to achieve or maintain the best health possible. The idea of a close patient/practitioner relationship often improves patient care and outcomes. It is a state-of-the-art modern medical care drawn from the very best medicine strategies.
Some of the services provided as part of Integrative Medicine include lifestyle modification such as stress reduction modalities, health maintenance/prevention, mind body practices, breathing exercises, risk reduction, recommendations for healthy use of supplements, mindfulness, and exercise.
An integrative approach can also assist with chronic illnesses that have not improved with conventional therapies alone using a holistic approach to wellness utilizing nutrition recommendations. Some recommendations that might be provided by an Integrative Medicine practitioner include: anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle, nutritional counseling/healthy eating plans to helping to achieve ideal body weight, and considering alternative therapies that may be used adjunctively with your conventional therapies.
In addition to addressing and handling immediate health problems as well as the deeper causes of the disease or illness, integrative medicine strategies also focus on prevention and foster the development of healthy behaviors and skills for effective self-care that patients can use throughout their lives.
People like the customized personal care that comes with integrative medicine’s whole person perspective. Others believe it is only logical to incorporate evidence-based health strategies into their lives from the widest of proven approaches possible. They think an integrative approach will allow them to achieve or maintain the best health possible. There is a large emphasis on the patient/practitioner relationship, which improves patient care and outcomes focusing on oncology/ hematology and integrative medicine.
Juli Johnson, APRN, received her master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma. She is nationally certified through the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation and has practiced at INTEGRIS Health since 2000. She graduated with a fellowship in integrative medicine from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in 2014.
Launched in 1997 by integrative medicine pioneer Andrew Weil, M.D., the fellowship is a 1000 hour, two year program for physicians, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants.
Lifestyle Modification
Holistic Approach to Wellness
Nutrition
Oncology Services
Other modalities offered in the wellness center include acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga, pastoral care, guided imagery, social services, individual and family counseling and nutritional counseling.