Patients and Health Care Providers Need To Discuss Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use (NAPSA)—Do you tell your health care providers if and how you use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)? According Time to to a recent national survey con- ducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)of the National Institutes of Health and AARP, two- thirds of people age 50 and older are using some form of complementary and alternative medicine. But in spite of the high use of CAM amongthis group, 69 percent are NOT discussing use of CAM with their physicians. Full disclosure of all health care therapies is essential to every patient’s evaluation and ensuressafe, coordinated care. CAM is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. CAM includes products and practices such as herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic, and acupuncture. “As high users of CAM, people 50 and older need to understand the importance of discussing CAM use with their health care providers,” said Dr. Josephine Briggs, Director, NCCAM. “Simply put, it’s time to talk!” Respondents of the NCCAM/ AARPnational survey cited the most common reasons why doctorpatient dialogue is lacking: e The physician never asked (42 percent) e They did not know they should (80 percent) e There was not enough time during the office visit (19 percent). NCCAM has launched its provider and patient educational nccam.nih.gov 1-888-644-6226 campaign—Time to —to encourage the discussion of CAM use. For more information on Time to or to read the full AARP/NCCAM report on CAM use communication, please visit http://nccam.nih.gov/timetotalk/ or call 1-888-644-6226. Tips for ing to Your Health Care Providers About CAM: When completing patient history forms, be sure fo includeall therapies and treatments you use. Makea list in advance. Tell your health care providers aboutall therapies or treatments—including over-the-counter and prescription medicines, as well as herbal and dietary supplements. Don’t wait for your providers to ask about your CAM use.Sayit first. e |f you are considering a new CAM therapy, ask your health care providers aboutits safety, effectiveness, and possible interactions with medications (both prescription and nonprescription). Source: The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health
