Mount Auburn Healthcare Connection

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The Marino Center for Integrative Health, affiliated with Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, has established a new model of care that stresses integrated medicine.

The Center is a group practice, currently with seven primary care physicians and a host of other practitioners. “Our primary care physicians are conventionally trained in internal medicine or family medicine with board certification. But we are also open to discussing alternative therapies in which our patients might be interested,” says Anne McCaffrey, M.D., research director at the Center.

“An estimated 36 percent of Americans use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), but most people do not discuss this practice with their physician,” says Dr. McCaffrey. Programs such as the one at the Marino Center provide a safe atmosphere to help guide patients who are using CAM therapies. For example, guidance is offered on dietary supplements to help avoid adverse reactions that could occur when these supplements are combined with a prescription medicine.

Dr. McCaffrey adds, “Our philosophy is that patients need a place where they can come and speak openly about the alternative therapies they are using. They have beliefs in these therapies and do not want to be automatically dismissed.”

Patients gravitate toward CAM use for a variety of reasons. Some may by highly environmentally conscious and feel that these therapies, like organic foods, are more natural and less toxic. Others have an ingrained belief that prescription medicines are toxic. These patients believe conventional medicines not only have major side effects, but that these medicines make the problem worse.

Patients also turn to CAM when there are no more conventional options. For example, someone may have chronic problems that are not well treated by conventional medicine. “In this case, it’s a pragmatic search on the part of the patient for effective options,” says Dr. McCaffrey.

A popular form of CAM is acupuncture. Clinical trials have shown that acupuncture is useful in treating lower back pain, and nausea associated with chemotherapy. While clinical trials have not scientifically proven efficacy, acupuncture is also used to promote fertility.

A treatment called external counterpulsation could help with heart disease. It utilizes a machine that creates pressure on the body’s lower limbs and sends blood back to the heart. This helps supply more oxygen to the starved areas of the heart. With more oxygen available, the heart can function much more efficiently, reducing chest pain.

The Marino Center is involved in a research trial for cardiac disease using chelation therapy. Chelation is an IV treatment that removes heavy metals from the body. Patients use chelation therapy for the treatment of atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in arteries). It’s also a strong antioxidant.

Stress reduction programs can also be very beneficial. These include movement therapy, such as tai chi or qigong. Tai chi and qigong focus on meditation practices, breathing and balance exercises, and slow and precise muscle movement.

Dr. McCaffrey strongly believes alternative medicine should not be used to the exclusion of conventional treatments. However, when the two are used in conjunction, patients may have a better chance of improvement. “When monitored by your primary care physician, alternative therapies can open up the tool box to other therapies. And any solution that helps patients recover faster, without side-effects, is a good thing,” says Dr. McCaffrey.

For a free lecture on integrative medical approaches, please call us at 617-499-5094.