'They Don't Ask Me So I Don't Tell Them': Patient-Clinician Communication About Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine
Author: Shelley, Brian M.
Date Published: 2009
The use of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine is widespread, although most users of traditional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine (TM/CAM) also use allopathic care. There are numerous studies, however, documenting a lack of communication in the conventional care setting between patients and their primary care clinicians about patients' use of TM/CAM. Specific communication barriers limit patient-clinician communication about TM/CAM. Clinicians who wish to communicate more effectively with their parents about these topics and better integrate the types of care their patients use can change the communication dynamic with simple strategies designed to overcome these barriers.
Date Published: 2009
The use of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine is widespread, although most users of traditional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine (TM/CAM) also use allopathic care. There are numerous studies, however, documenting a lack of communication in the conventional care setting between patients and their primary care clinicians about patients' use of TM/CAM. Specific communication barriers limit patient-clinician communication about TM/CAM. Clinicians who wish to communicate more effectively with their parents about these topics and better integrate the types of care their patients use can change the communication dynamic with simple strategies designed to overcome these barriers.
