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Jefferson Opens Center for Integrative Medicine In mid-September, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University opened the Center for Integrative Medicine, with clinical services at Jefferson’s Ford Road campus off City Line Avenue, and research and academic components at Jefferson’s main campus in Center City. “Integrative medicine bridges medical science with promising alternative therapies,” explained Steven Rosenzweig, MD, Clinical and Academic Director of the Center and Clinical Associate Professor, Jefferson Medical College. Jefferson is the first academic medical center in the Delaware Valley and one of the first nationally to create a comprehensive program in integrative medicine linking patient care, research and education. At the Center’s clinical practice at Ford Road, Jefferson physicians will incorporate nutritional, herbal and homeopathic therapies into comprehensive patient care. Other services that will be offered include acupuncture, meditation for stress management, therapeutic massage, light therapy, psychotherapy, yoga and other movement therapies. “Our philosophy recognizes that body, mind and spirit are all integral to illness and health,” explained Dr. Rosenzweig. Dr. Rosenzweig, along with other Jefferson physicians at the Center, will care for adults and children with a wide range of medical concerns. These include common problems as well as complex disorders. Physicians will perform routine medical evaluations for patients and may prescribe conventional and/or evidence-based alternative therapies to treat or manage their health conditions. “What makes our approach unusual is that we are bringing academic, mainstream medicine into the holistic arena, creating the opportunity for patients to benefit from promising complementary therapies in partnership with physicians experienced in this area.” As part of its research and academic components, the Center for Integrative Medicine will study the effectiveness and safety of alternative therapies in collaboration with other leading national and international institutions. Professional education programs on integrative medicine will be offered for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers. In addition, courses on alternative therapies, offered at Jefferson Medical College since 1995, will be expanded. Working closely with Dr. Rosenzweig will be Ira S. Cantor, MD, Associate Clinical Director of the Patient Practice, and Steven Halbert, MD, Associate Clinical Director for Protocol Development. For more information on Jefferson’s Center for Integrative Medicine, call 1-800-JEFF-NOW, or visit the Jefferson Health System web site at http://www.jeffersonhealth.org/tjuh/centers/integ_med.html Conference on Integrative Medicine Set for October 10To further educate the healthcare community about the growth and development of integrative medicine, "Healing & Health: Integrating Complementary and Alternative Therapies," a one-day conference for healthcare providers from all disciplines, will be held at Jefferson on Saturday, October 10, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Organized by Jefferson’s Center for Integrative Medicine and the College of Health Professions’ Office of Continuing Education, the conference is designed to build bridges between alternative therapies and conventional medicine by focusing on how healthcare professionals are successfully integrating complementary approaches into conventional treatment plans. The regular conference fee is $145, with a special rate of $125 for Thomas Jefferson University employees, alumni, clinical/fieldwork educators, and Jefferson Health System employees. Eight (8) Category I CMEs or CEUs will be awarded to participants. To register, call Jaclyn Gleber, RDH, EdD, at extension 3-3131. |