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the founding father. He started the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine (think of it as the Hogwarts of the discipline) in 1994. Dr. Weil’s name accompanies beauty, food and health products; his books sell in the millions. Aside from Weil and Oz, doctors like Frank Lipman and Mitchell L. Gaynor have built impressive reputations— and businesses—by embracing integrative medicine. These doctors have conventional credentials but are willing to consider less-conventional techniques. Integrative medicine usually includes a collaborative provider-patient relationship, an emphasis on preventive care and wellness, and the use of alternative (and, critics say, unproven) therapies like acupuncture and biofeedback. So you may receive conventional medicine for a broken leg or infection and alternative remedies for allergies. Patients can get the best of both worlds. Not surprisingly, the combo doesn’t come cheap. Many insurance companies have been unwilling to pay integrative doctors for the extra time they spend or cover certain treatments. “Insurance and the current reimbursement schema create obstacles for physicians ready to adopt integrative medical practices,” says Nancy Sudak, executive director of the Academy of Integrative Integrative medicine is the wave of the future. Health and Medicine. Many doctors who want But does practicing it cost physicians’ income— to go integrative stop accepting insurance and or put them on the path to fame and fortune? shift to fee-for-service or concierge services. Indeed, according to Erik L. Goldman, editor WRITTEN BY JESSICA BRANCH of Holistic Primary Care, a big trend is for physicians to go the direct-pay route. “The growth of integrative medicine is demand driven, and people who are well enough off to be able to pay for their own health care are the early adopters—look at celebrities,” says Tabatha Parker, ND, director of education at AIHM. “They want a higher level of care and more attention than they can expect from an overworked doctor who has eight minutes, and they’re used to getting what they want.” It’s no surprise that celebrities were linked with the first wave of integrative doctors. As long ago as 1995, People reported that Ted Danson and Bill Moyers sought the advice of integrative cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish. Even if you’re not impressed with how Gwyneth Paltrow or Suzanne Somers stay healthy, it’s worth noting that Bill and Hillary Clinton have long taken advice from integrative guru Dr. Mark Hyman, while Arianna Huffington is reportedly a client of Dr. Lipman’s. This may explain why many of these doctors specialize in weight loss, anti-aging treatments, detox and hormone-replacement therapy. Its supporters insist, however, that the landscape is changing and integrative medicine is more broadly accessible. “Legislators and health-care administrators recognize its efficacy and cost-effectiveness,” says Dr. Parker. Though there are no hard statistics on how many doctors have jumped on the bandwagon, it appears the numbers are growing. Victoria Maizes, executive director of the Arizona Center, says that their fellowship program has expanded from four slots in 1997 to 130 doctors a year today—with a waiting list. And the field’s also gaining in respectability. In 2014, the American Board of Physician Specialties ew Americans, let alone doctors, have the Q factor of Dr. Mehmet Oz. It begins with his impeccable medical credentials: A graduate of both Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, he is vice-chair of the department of surgery at Columbia University School of Medicine. With an eponymous TV show and magazine, he’s committed to connecting with patients and helping them get and stay well. Finally, he’s fascinated with alternative treatments like herbs and Reiki that Western medicine doesn’t necessarily endorse (just ask that Senate committee that grilled him) but which people have believed in for centuries. In a development not unconnected to these credentials, Dr. Oz’s net worth is estimated at $14 million. He’s not the first star in this brand of medicine. Dr. Andrew Weil, also educated at Harvard, is considered
“INTEGRATIVE DERMATOLOGY” IS THE HOT NEW SUB-SPECIALTY, WITH FOUR SPAS IN DENVER AND ASPEN ALONE.
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