INM Primary Care Task Force (PCTF)
Here are some key achievements of the program:
Redefining Value in Community Health Settings: The PCTF pioneered targeted conversations with Community Health Centers (CHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), bringing awareness to ND’s unique potential to immediately expand patient access and close staffing gaps in underserved communities.
Powerfully Integrating Whole Person Health: The PCTF successfully elevated NDs to vital in-house specialists for prevention, health promotion, food-as-medicine programs, and herbal and supplement-based care.
Influencing Decision Makers: The PCTF changed the conversation for C-Suite executives across the healthcare landscape:
- For the CEO: The PCTF reframed NDs as an innovative service line expansion, showing how ND integration offers patients more comprehensive care options that enhance the health center’s mission and market position.
- For the CMO/CHO: The PCTF raised clinical confidence and quality assurance, showcasing the rigorous standards and safety of care delivered by licensed NDs in many settings.
- For the CFO: The PCTF made the business case for NDs as a sound, cost-effective provider investment that strengthens the center’s financial stability and efficiency.
Correcting Misinformation: The PCTF actively confronted outdated assumptions with C-suite leadership, proving that NDs deliver safe, effective primary care and are collaborative partners alongside all medical colleagues.
A Legacy of Thought Leadership at High Levels: The PCTF successfully placed ND primary care in CHCs and FQHCs on the agenda at major industry gatherings, particularly the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association (NWRPCA) conference, reaching key administrators and decision-makers.
Though not a currently active INM program, the thought leadership and groundwork laid by the PCTF continue to inform and drive the national movement toward full integration of licensed Naturopathic Doctors into key settings where they can meaningfully support a whole person approach to health.
