Background
Integrative medicine is a holistic
approach to patient care that utilises
both conventional and complementary
therapy. This article compares the
demographics of Australian general
practitioners who do, and those who do
not, practise integrative medicine, and
their perceptions and knowledge about
complementary medicines.
Discussion
Many GPs incorporate complementary
medicines into their practice, whether
or not they identify with the ‘integrative
medicine’ label. General practitioners
need to be well informed about the
evidence base for, and potential risks
of, complementary medicines to
ensure effective decision making. Use
of available resources and inclusion of
complementary medicine in education
programs may assist this.
Results
Data from 1178 GPs was analysed. While
GPs who practise integrative medicine
were more knowledgeable about
complementary medicine and more
aware of potential adverse reactions,
there were significant knowledge gaps for
both groups.
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