Society for Integrative Oncology

key words:  palliative care, oncology, integrative medicine, team care, integrative health, collaboration, collaborative healthcare, patient-centered care, quality of life care, recommended resources, person-centered care

topics:  oncology, the integrative medicine movement in mainstream U.S. medicine


At the 14th International Conference of the Society for Integrative Oncology, a new definition of integrative oncology was announced.

The Official Society for Integrative Oncology Definition of "Integrative Oncology":

Integrative oncology is a patient-centered, evidence-informed field of cancer care that utilizes mind and body practices, natural products, and/or lifestyle modifications from different traditions alongside conventional cancer treatments. 

Integrative oncology aims to optimize health, quality of life, and clinical outcomes across the cancer care continuum and to empower people to prevent cancer and become active participants before, during, and beyond cancer treatment.

Integrative oncology seems to be firmly rooted in the true philosophy of "integrative health care".  I am looking forward to watching it grow strong for the health of patients and their families and the field of health care in general.

To learn more about this year's conference, I recommend reading the report by Zeyiad Elias, DAOM, RAc, in the winter 2018 issue of Meridians:  Journal of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

sources:  
Elias Z. Society for Integrative Oncology 14th International Conference:  A Report. MJAOM 2018;5(1): 30-35.
Society for Integrative Oncology


More resources on Integrative Oncology Recommended by the Community

• The Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine Free Online Cancer Care Toolkit 
• Intended for patients working with their oncology providers. Has information on integrative health therapies, including nutrition and movement for cancer care programs.  
• Podcast interview: "Integrative Oncology is a Clinically Proven Approach--Here's to Hoping That News Gets Out to Payers and Patients, with Glenn Sabin of FON Consulting"
• Book to buy or find in your local library: Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal by Rachel Naomi Remen, MD.
• search label "research literacy" or "oncology" in this blog to find related resources on these topics

If you found this information helpful, please consider contributing $5 at our website to help with creating this blog resource and building new resources for the community.  Thank you. 

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Moving Beyond Medications, the Infographic

keywords:  pain management, integrative health, communicating with primary care providers, communication with biomedical providers, provider communication, non-pharm pain management, non-drug pain management, the opioid crisis, integrative health as part of the integrative pain management models of care

topics:  pain management, communication with biomedical providers, opioid crisis

I have recommended this infographic in previous blogposts on the subject of pain management and the opioid crisis.

Moving Beyond Medications is a useful one-page infographic for primary care providers looking for a quick reference point for referrals for non-pharm pain management.

"Non-Pharmacological Approaches to Pain Management and Well-Being:
 In response to the current public health crisis of opioid abuse, overdose, and death, many organizations have issued guidelines and recommendations for treating pain, including the former Surgeon General’s “Turn the Tide” campaign. Similar to other guidelines, this campaign recommends non-pharmacological approaches as first line pain treatment, with opioids to be considered only if these and non-opioid pharmacological treatments are ineffective. This document expands upon those recommendations to help primary care clinicians and their patients with this approach."

This infographic, available for free, was created through a collaboration of several national organizations:  The Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health (ACIH, the "Collaborative"), the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health (the IM Consortium), the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM), and the Integrative Health Policy Consortium (IHPC).

The Consortium Pain Task Force published a related white paper, Evidence-based Nonpharmacologic Strategies for Pain Care.  Free copies are available for download here.

Want to learn more on documenting clinical change in your patient-centered practice? 
Take our Metrics short courses.  The short courses are based on the popular metrics blogposts with downloadable pdfs, examples, and templates.

The metrics series blogposts: The Pain Scale and Medication Review:  Calculating Morphine Equivalent Dose (MEQ).

Related Blogposts

• More about research related to acupuncture and mu-opioid receptor
• The Field of Acupuncture Research in Just 10 Minutes, another video with Mel
• More about the Acupuncture in the Opioid Crisis, including resources on calculating morphine equivalent dosage (MED, MEQ), and review of systems with focus on side effects of opioid medications
• The Pain Scale, DVPRS, for your patient-centered care model
• The Opioid Epidemic, a Joint Pain Education Project video, within a blogpost filled with resources
• Research Review:  Key Studies to Understand when Discussing Pain Management with a Physician

If you have found this blogpost useful, please consider contributing via the website to help support this resource.  Thank you. 

Do you want to follow our work at the Hospital Handbook Project?  Just join the contact list on the website, subscribe to the blog, and like our Facebook page.