Integrative Medicine & CAM

Integrative Medicine: is the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals, and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing. Integrative medicine is healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person (body, mind, and spirit), including all aspects of the patient’s lifestyle. It emphasizes on the therapeutic relationship and uses of all appropriate of therapies, i.e., both conventional and alternative. Those who qualify are medical physicians, those who work along side a medical physician, or those who work with doctors outside the network. Those qualified have a medical and natural background.

Is Integrative Medicine respected, and accepted in today’s society? The answer is YES. In fact, there are more and more people looking for Integrative medicine; and several medical physicians are incorporating it into their practices. Here’s a quote from Duke Medicine: “As the American healthcare system grows progressively stressed and truly patient-centered care becomes increasingly difficult to find, more people than ever before are looking for alternatives to the conventional healthcare model. Integrative medicine, which focuses on caring for the whole human being—body, mind, spirit, and community, not just flesh, bones, and organs—is steadily becoming a desirable and logical option for many people.” Sited from http://health.usnews.com/health-conditions/heart-health/integrative-medicine/overview

What does Integrative Health and Medicine offer? a comprehensive prevention approach to effectively treat chronic disease and enhance health promotion. Integrative Health and Medicine embraces a multi-disciplinary team of licensed health care providers working at the highest level of their scope of practice. This includes medical physicians who look outside of the box, health practitioners such as integrative, naturopathic, alternative and natural medicine doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, nurse practitioners, nurses, midwives, nutritionists, massage and/physical therapists and others’. Although many of these health care practitioners have been lumped into the term complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers, which is similar but not the same.

What is correct term to use when searching for an Integrative Doctor? Integrative Health and Medicine refers specifically to the distinct licensed professionals who utilize all forms of medicine in their scope of practice. There is no need to “discover” a new model of care through statistical algorithms.

What have Patients said about seeing and working with an Integrative Health and Medicine practitioners?

• They are healthier,
• have lower health care costs, and
• report extremely high levels of patient satisfaction.

What can I expect?  Through a collaborative approach to health care, integrative health care solutions contribute to the aim of the individual’s unique health every day. There is no one plan, chart, group etc. a patients “falls under,” it’s about embracing each persons current state of health, seeing past symptoms, looking at all aspects of mind, body, soul, mental, emotional, physical, current and past history, relationships, traumas, perceptions, beliefs, etc. This approach to health sets no limits to what a person has and is going through, the healthcare practitioner sees the whole person not a glimpse as in conventional medicine. Because each patients is seen as a individual, each patient is treated according to their specific health needs.

Top principles of integrative medicine:

• A partnership between patient and practitioner for the goal of true healing
• Both patient and practitioner are on the same level – a mutual agreement of natural/ alternative treatment(s) or in combination with allopathic treatment(s) for the betterment of patients’ wellness and healthcare, as well as mental, physical, emotional and spiritual state of wellbeing.
• Appropriate use of conventional and alternative methods to facilitate the body’s innate healing responses
• Consideration of all factors that influence health, wellness, and disease, including mind-body, and spirit.
• A philosophy that neither rejects conventional medicine nor accepts alternative therapies uncritically. One may choose to use one or both forms of medicine.
• Recognition that good medicine should be based in good science, be inquiry driven, and be open to new paradigms, treatment options, and healing modalities.
• Use of natural, effective, less-invasive or non-invasive interventions whenever necessary.
• Use of the broader concepts of promotion of health and the prevention of illness, including the treatment and preventions of diseases.
• Training of practitioners to be models of health and healing, committed to the process of self-exploration and self-development.
• Understandings between patient and practitioner that God is in control and only through him can one achieve all aspects of health and healing. An agreement between accepting of spiritual health, consulting and education.

CAM Therapies or Complementary and alternative medicine: is a group of mixed medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not considered part of conventional medicine. An assorted set of systems of treatment, and prevention based on philosophies and techniques other than those used in conventional medicine.  Derived from traditions used in other cultures practices; existing as a body separate from conventional medicine practice. CAM focuses on the whole person as a unique individual, on the energies of the body, and its influence on health and disease. In addition, on the healing power of nature, and the mobilization of the body’s own resources to heal itself (immune system), and on the underlying causes, rather than symptoms, of disease. Techniques used are non-invasive and work with the body to induce healing. Click on the You Tube Link for a summary.

 NOTE:  Integrative Medicine is a field of knowing /having an extensive medical & natural backgrounds. At the University, Dr. Hartman had to go through an extensive screening, evaluation, interview, training, background check, and prove she had enough medical knowledge/background and natural background, practical experience, etc.  It was a VERY lengthy process. She submitted all prior education, training, schooling, continuing education, over 1000+ hours, etc.  It took the University’s Medical Board and The Board Of Integrative Medicine 8 ½ months to deem her eligible after taking everything into consideration, including their thorough evaluation of Dr. Hartman before approving her for the title and degrees of Doctorate & PhD in Integrative Medicine.  She was only granted this title due to meeting all requirements and qualifications, plus the years of education, training, and all the above mentioned. What a huge honor and blessing this is to her…it was not an easy process but she feels very fortunate, honored and humbled by the experience. Dr. Hartman is ready to utilize all aspects of healthcare for the betterment of her patients and thanks God daily for all her accomplishments, struggles, trial & tribulations, and determination /strength God bestows upon her.

*Dr. Hartman utilizes ALL forms of medicine to help patients, this includes conventional medicine. She is an Immunologist, and works with activating the immune system. As an Integrative and Natural doctor, she tries to use non-invasive to less-invasive therapies and treatments. However, she does work with and refers patients to medical physicians (MD & DO), when conventional help is needed for patients. She believes we do need pharmaceutical drugs, antibiotics etc. on occasion to help assist the body, when the immune system is overloaded, or we need a medicine to help remedy the situation quickly, or the body needs the assistance of an antibiotic or medication.

NOTE: Dr. Hartman is NOT a medical, osteopathic, naturopathic or homeopathic physician, nor does she claim to be. Dr. Hartman has been trained in several areas of medicine (medically and naturally) and works with the immune system, educates patients on all aspects of medicines, prevention, health, healing, wellness, and nutrition. Dr. Hartman is nationally licensed (higher than a state license) in Immunology, Integrative Medicine (NPI: 1932882073), Natural Medicine (Traditional Naturopathic), and Alternative Medicine.

Faith -Is NOT believing God can, it is KNOWING that He will. -Unknown  I CAN do all things through Christ who Strengthens me! -Unknown