Referring to complementary and alternative medicine–A possible tool for implementation

SummaryBackgroundPatients’ extensive use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can affect doctor–patient communication. Substantial numbers of patients expect their primary care physician to be able to refer them to CAM practitioners. However, a simple and practical referral CAM process is lacking.Research design and methodsWe developed an 11-item questionnaire that addresses issues a physician should consider in determining whether to refer a patient for CAM treatment, including biopsychosocial and communication concerns and the safety and effectiveness of modalities. The tool was administered via questionnaires posted and e-mailed to primary care physicians and CAM practitioners.ResultsOur CAM referral tool was found to be considerably useful in a primary care setting. High reliability and validity of the tool were found among the primary care physicians (Cronbach's alpha score of 0.867, spearman rho correlation 0.2–0.67) and moderate reliability among CAM practitioners (0.745).ConclusionsWe hope that our CAM referral tool will help advance the integration of CAM and conventional medicine.