Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 495
The aim of this presentation is to describe the proven value of using a ‘living laboratory’ approach to evaluating integrative health care.
As a component of its research programme, the Tzu Chi Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is engaged in an ongoing programme evaluation of its integrative care program. The goal was to create an in-house research/practice cycle that allowed for continual, evidence-based evolution of the integrated care program, knowledge transfer and knowledge uptake. Over the period of time the clinic was operating (4.5 years), data was collected using a variety of methods and representing a number of stakeholder perspectives. It addressed issues of relevance for clients and potential clients, practitioners and administrative staff.
As an example, client focus groups were used to generate data regarding perceived accessibility of the clinical programmes and tolerability and relevance of the measurement tools being used to gather health outcomes data. This resulted in a revision of the clinic fee schedule to improve accessibility, and in changes to the measurement tool package used to assess health outcomes for all the Institute’s clients. Further examples of research and evaluation will be provided.
This model of knowledge generation and subsequent transfer of that knowledge into clinical decisions and policy development is one that should be considered for implementation in all integrative healthcare delivery settings.
