Characteristics and Challenges of Providing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Oncology Treatment: Report of Survey Data and Experience of Five Unique Clinical Settings
Acupuncture is an integrative therapy with strong evidence to support its use in the oncology setting, yet barriers exist for implementation into conventional medical clinics. Though acupuncture is recommended in clinical practice guidelines for oncology, there is little data in the literature showi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Integrative Cancer Therapies |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354241226640 |
| _version_ | 1797338665067741184 |
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| author | Susan Veleber DACM, LAc Misha Ruth Cohen OMD, LAc Matthew Weitzman LAc Yair Maimon OMD, PhD, LAc Christine A. Adamo DAOM, LAc Jonathan Siman DACM, LAc Weidong Lu MB, PhD, MPH, LAc Tammy Sajdyk PhD Jennifer A.M. Stone MSOM, LAc |
| author_facet | Susan Veleber DACM, LAc Misha Ruth Cohen OMD, LAc Matthew Weitzman LAc Yair Maimon OMD, PhD, LAc Christine A. Adamo DAOM, LAc Jonathan Siman DACM, LAc Weidong Lu MB, PhD, MPH, LAc Tammy Sajdyk PhD Jennifer A.M. Stone MSOM, LAc |
| author_sort | Susan Veleber DACM, LAc |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Acupuncture is an integrative therapy with strong evidence to support its use in the oncology setting, yet barriers exist for implementation into conventional medical clinics. Though acupuncture is recommended in clinical practice guidelines for oncology, there is little data in the literature showing how acupuncture and other related therapies, including herbal medicine are successfully implemented in some oncology clinics, while others experience barriers to care. To characterize the current use of acupuncture (ACU) and herbal medicine (HM) in oncology clinics, we collected general demographic and usage data from 5 example clinics. In addition, to better understand the barriers faced by ACU and HM clinics in implementing acupuncture as a treatment modality, a survey was deployed to 2320 members of the Society for Integrative Oncology. This article examines the characteristics of oncology settings around the world, and shares data from the survey on the use of these therapies in the field of oncology. The primary barrier to acupuncture care, as reported by providers, was cost. With just under 70% of the oncologists reporting it as the most important obstacle. Additional barriers to implementation included concerns about competency and training, accessibility and safety of herbal medicine during treatment. Though acupuncture is being incorporated into more conventional oncology settings, organized strategies for implementation involving payers and policymakers is needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:34:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1fd66c297c9b49b29fe25b8a6fa6e24f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1552-695X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:34:34Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Integrative Cancer Therapies |
| spelling | doaj.art-1fd66c297c9b49b29fe25b8a6fa6e24f2024-01-30T11:03:36ZengSAGE PublishingIntegrative Cancer Therapies1552-695X2024-01-012310.1177/15347354241226640Characteristics and Challenges of Providing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Oncology Treatment: Report of Survey Data and Experience of Five Unique Clinical SettingsSusan Veleber DACM, LAc0Misha Ruth Cohen OMD, LAc1Matthew Weitzman LAc2Yair Maimon OMD, PhD, LAc3Christine A. Adamo DAOM, LAc4Jonathan Siman DACM, LAc5Weidong Lu MB, PhD, MPH, LAc6Tammy Sajdyk PhD7Jennifer A.M. Stone MSOM, LAc8Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USAChicken Soup Chinese Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USAMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USARefuot Integrative Medical Center, Tel Aviv IsraelCalifornia Cancer Associates for Research and Excellence, San Diego, CA, USAFred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USADana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USAIndiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, IN, USAIndiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, IN, USAAcupuncture is an integrative therapy with strong evidence to support its use in the oncology setting, yet barriers exist for implementation into conventional medical clinics. Though acupuncture is recommended in clinical practice guidelines for oncology, there is little data in the literature showing how acupuncture and other related therapies, including herbal medicine are successfully implemented in some oncology clinics, while others experience barriers to care. To characterize the current use of acupuncture (ACU) and herbal medicine (HM) in oncology clinics, we collected general demographic and usage data from 5 example clinics. In addition, to better understand the barriers faced by ACU and HM clinics in implementing acupuncture as a treatment modality, a survey was deployed to 2320 members of the Society for Integrative Oncology. This article examines the characteristics of oncology settings around the world, and shares data from the survey on the use of these therapies in the field of oncology. The primary barrier to acupuncture care, as reported by providers, was cost. With just under 70% of the oncologists reporting it as the most important obstacle. Additional barriers to implementation included concerns about competency and training, accessibility and safety of herbal medicine during treatment. Though acupuncture is being incorporated into more conventional oncology settings, organized strategies for implementation involving payers and policymakers is needed.https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354241226640 |
| spellingShingle | Susan Veleber DACM, LAc Misha Ruth Cohen OMD, LAc Matthew Weitzman LAc Yair Maimon OMD, PhD, LAc Christine A. Adamo DAOM, LAc Jonathan Siman DACM, LAc Weidong Lu MB, PhD, MPH, LAc Tammy Sajdyk PhD Jennifer A.M. Stone MSOM, LAc Characteristics and Challenges of Providing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Oncology Treatment: Report of Survey Data and Experience of Five Unique Clinical Settings Integrative Cancer Therapies |
| title | Characteristics and Challenges of Providing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Oncology Treatment: Report of Survey Data and Experience of Five Unique Clinical Settings |
| title_full | Characteristics and Challenges of Providing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Oncology Treatment: Report of Survey Data and Experience of Five Unique Clinical Settings |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics and Challenges of Providing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Oncology Treatment: Report of Survey Data and Experience of Five Unique Clinical Settings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics and Challenges of Providing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Oncology Treatment: Report of Survey Data and Experience of Five Unique Clinical Settings |
| title_short | Characteristics and Challenges of Providing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Oncology Treatment: Report of Survey Data and Experience of Five Unique Clinical Settings |
| title_sort | characteristics and challenges of providing acupuncture and chinese herbal medicine in oncology treatment report of survey data and experience of five unique clinical settings |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354241226640 |
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