OCIM and our member institutions are committed to engaging our community in their own health and health care through many various community education and outreach efforts. All of our events are open and relevant to members of the community and we continually seek new opportunities to engage our community in improving their own health and well being.
Integrative medicine and health is an approach to care that puts the patient at the center and addresses the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a person’s health. Employing a personalized strategy that considers the patient’s unique conditions, needs and circumstances, it uses the most appropriate interventions from an array of scientific disciplines to heal illness and disease and help people regain and maintain optimum health1.
In addition to addressing patients’ presenting health issue(s) and the root cause of disease or illness, integrative medicine focuses on disease prevention and wellness. Integrative medicine fosters the development of healthy behaviors and skills for effective self-care that patients can use throughout their lives.2
1OCIM supports the definition of Integrative Health and Medicine compiled by Duke Integrative Medicine.
2Adapted by OCIM from http://www.bravewell.org/integrative_medicine/
Photo: Vindulge