Press Release
SEATTLE, April 19, 2021 – The medical profession is at a critical crossroads as the public gains greater awareness, acceptance, and desire for integrative therapies. This means the professional community must begin collaborating to meet the need. The Institute for Natural Medicine (INM), a non-profit 501-(c)(3) that works to educate the public about and increase access to naturopathic medicine, is recruiting members for an interdisciplinary board of medical doctors (MD) and doctors of osteopathy (DO).
The concept for the board was initiated by Leonard A. Wisneski, MD, FACP, faculty of Georgetown University, George Washington University, University of Colorado; Chair Emeritus of the Integrative Health Policy Consortium and author of Scientific Basis of Integrative Health. “Primary care should be focused on whole-person medicine,” says Dr. Wisneski. “Naturopathic doctors are educated as specialists in lifestyle and behavioral medicine, which hones in on healthy habits that support the prevention of chronic diseases. As such, they should be more readily integrated into primary care settings. This board will help facilitate that process.”
The naturopathic profession is uniquely trained to address many of the pressing health issues that concern the nation, including:
- Whole-person health care support for the treatment of acute illness and the behavioral aspects of chronic disease as outlined in the Naturopathic Determinants of Health.
- The lingering physiological, biological and neurological after-effects of the pandemic.
- A growing shortage of primary care physicians, particularly in rural and low-income areas.
- Non-pharmaceutical treatments for pain management.
- Chronic disease prevention in community health centers, primary care practices, and teaching hospitals.
“The creation of the MD/DO Naturopathic Advisory Board is important with the current and future emphasis on whole-person health. A natural approach inclusive of appropriate lifestyle counseling, prevention, wellness, and well-being is an important aspect of healthcare. The education and clinical approach of the naturopathic physician (ND) is perfectly suited to deliver this form of comprehensive care. The Board will be comprised of medical doctors who appreciate these unique talents and will advise NDs as to how best to share their talents and experience with other healthcare practitioners,” says Michelle Simon, Ph.D., ND, President and CEO of INM.
Members of the Board will participate in a series of tele/web conversations with Drs. Wisneski and Simon. Additionally, it will provide support for the integration of naturopathic medicine into university education and teaching centers, primary care and community health settings, as well as other clinical and hospital institutions.
Both INM and our partner organization, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, are looking forward to expanding and defining national opportunities and challenges to advancing the naturopathic medical profession while providing guidance for potential approaches to educate the greater medical profession on naturopathic medicine.
Contact
Michelle Simon, Ph.D., ND
Institute for Natural Medicine
4500 9th Ave NE, Ste 300, Seattle, WA 98105
M: 206-399-5451 O: 206-486-3380
