The Growing Demand of Integrative Medicine
The world of medicine is changing and there has been a rise in the demand of integrative medicine in the Hudson Valley and across the country. Integrative medicine includes looking at each patient with a wide scope. Every aspect of each person is looked at in order to help combat the condition at hand, incorporating not only the physical symptoms present but also the psychological, emotional, and environmental factors that can be weighing on patients.
Integrative medicine integrates two ends of the medical spectrum: one that includes classifications such as western, mainstream, allopathic, or conventional medicine and the other encompasses holistic, homeopathic, naturopathic, or complementary medicine. Integrative medicine combines both realms.
Treatment may include not only pharmaceutical drugs, but also lifestyle changes, herbal remedies, plant and mineral medicine and other alternatives in order to combat the root cause of issues. The objective is to help each individual live a vibrant life altogether, instead of simply suppressing symptoms with drugs. Overall wellness is integrative medicine’s goal.
Dr. Joseph Malak, founder of Bambini Pediatrics in Poughkeepsie, NY, defines integrative medicine as the practice of taking the best aspects of conventional medicine along with the best aspects of holistic medicine and applying them in the most appropriate circumstances. He explains that sending a patient with a serious injury to the emergency room is a better decision than introducing homeopathic remedies right away. Yet, homeopathic remedies come to the surface to help individuals who have tried mainstream medical techniques for diagnosis’ like ADHD, mood disorders, or autoimmune disorders and have not seen substantial results. Integrative medicine is utilizing the vast scientific toolbox at hand and not being limited to Western techniques.
Additionally, Dr. Kenneth Bock has an integrative medical practice in Red Hook, NY. On his website he states, “Integrative Medicine is not just a smorgasbord of mixing and matching conventional and ‘alternative’ medicine modalities, but rather a mindset that approaches the complex health problems of patients in a significantly different way.” There is an art to this way of medicine that is very patient-centered. The site notes that conventional medicine can be life-saving for certain circumstances, but chronic issues can potentially be solved by adding natural supplements to one’s diet or removing specific toxins being consumed because chronic issues are commonly a result of an imbalance in the body.
More individuals are seeking this type of care. Dr. Malak expresses that there is a significant need of more integrative medical doctors in the Hudson Valley area in order to meet the demands that the community is looking for. He provides to a large amount of patients and still has numerous individuals on his waitlist.
Healthcare writer, Andrea Clement, acknowledges that integrative medicine is becoming the new standard for healthcare. She says the demand for integrative medicine is increasing as well, due to the plethora of chronic illnesses in the US. “The majority of chronic illness is preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and currently, they are a leading killer in America,” she wrote.
If integrative medicine continues to flourish and the demand for this type of medical care is met by an influx of trained integrative medical doctors, chronic illnesses may become lessened and individuals in America will be able to live healthier and more wholesome lives overall.
