RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Characteristics of visits to licensed acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and naturopathic physicians.
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Practice
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 463
OP 472
VO 15
IS 6
A1 Daniel C Cherkin
A1 Richard A Deyo
A1 Karen J Sherman
A1 L Gary Hart
A1 Janet H Street
A1 Andrea Hrbek
A1 Roger B Davis
A1 Elaine Cramer
A1 Bruce Milliman
A1 Jennifer Booker
A1 Robert Mootz
A1 James Barassi
A1 Janet R Kahn
A1 Ted J Kaptchuk
A1 David M Eisenberg
YR 2002
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/15/6/463.abstract
AB BACKGROUND Despite growing popularity of complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies, little is known about the patients seen by CAM practitioners. Our objective was to describe the patients and problems seen by CAM practitioners.METHODS We collected data on 20 consecutive visits to randomly sampled licensed acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and naturopathic physicians practicing in Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Washington. Data were collected on patient demographics, smoking status, referral source, reasons for visit, concurrent medical care, payment source, and visit duration. Comparative data for conventional physicians were drawn from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.RESULTS In each profession, at least 99 practitioners collected data on more than 1,800 visits. More than 80% of visits to CAM providers were by young and middle-aged adults, and roughly two thirds were by women. Children comprised 10% of visits to naturopathic physicians but only 1% to 4% of all visits to other CAM providers. At least two thirds of visits resulted from self-referrals, and only 4% to 12% of visits were from conventional physician referrals. Chiropractors and massage therapists primarily saw musculoskeletal problems, while acupuncturists and naturopathic physicians saw a broader range of conditions. Visits to acupuncturists and massage therapists lasted about 60 minutes compared with 40 minutes for naturopathic physicians and less than 20 minutes for chiropractors. Most visits to chiropractors and naturopathic physicians, but less than one third of visits to acupuncturists and massage therapists, were covered by insurance.CONCLUSIONS This information will help inform discussions of the roles CAM practitioners will play in the health care system of the future.