At Northwest Natural Health, we believe that naturopathic medicine supports the body’s innate ability to heal. It is an art, science, philosophy and practice of diagnosing, treating and preventing disease with modern, traditional, scientific and empirical methods.
We provide support at a variety of levels for physicians, nurses and other providers with patients who wish to combine conventional and natural medicine, ranging from chart review and a consultation to direct interaction with the patient during the more rigorous phases of treatment.
If you are a provider with a patient whose interest in combining therapies is outside your normal practice, we encourage you to speak with our doctors. We can tailor a plan to provide the specialized support you want when you need it.
For Your Patient: The Best of Both Worlds
Naturopathic and traditional Western medicine can successfully work together to provide the patient the best possible outcome. Not mutually exclusive, the two avenues of healthcare can create even more options for patients who seek health and wellness. Our doctors help patients safely and effectively incorporate chiropractic, massage, acupuncture and other forms of complementary and alternative medicine into their treatment plans when that is their wish. We collaborate directly with the patient’s other medical providers to be certain that there are no inadvertent negative interactions with conventional therapy.
Most cancer patients are already using some form of complementary and alternative medicine. We offer an opportunity to optimize the combination and avoid self-treatment errors that may adversely patient status and outcome.
The Naturopathic Physicians at NW Natural Health believe that the most effective results occur when patients use the best of both conventional and natural medicine. We work closely with conventional medical specialists providing a seamless, carefully integrated program for every patient. Our clinic doctors have been embraced as leaders in the field. Currently, Dr. Labriola serves as Director, Naturopathic Services, Swedish Cancer Institute, Swedish Medical Center; Program Director, Integrative Services, Center for Cardiovascular Wellness, Swedish Cancer Institute; Director, Naturopathic Services, Children’s Oncology Program, Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center; among others, and as an Advisor to Cancer Lifeline, the State of Washington Department of Health, American Cancer Society and more. For more on our physicians, click here.
For Providers: Collaboration, Communication
Our physicians and staff will coordinate directly with you, your staff and your patients. We maintain ongoing, collaborative, open communication with you and your patient to ensure safe and productive treatment. This includes dictated patient progress notes, strategies for avoiding inadvertent drug-nutrient and other interactions, and assistance with unanticipated problems from patient self-treatment.
Why a Natural Medicine Consultation?
A natural medicine consultation can help in several ways depending on the patient’s condition and treatment. Consultations can be done before, during or after treatment, and can be done in our office or by phone, coordinated with a local physician.
• Keep the patient as strong and healthy as possible before, during and after conventional treatment.
• Support the nutritional needs of the patient’s immune system.
• Make certain that the patient is not using any vitamins, herbs or other self-treatments that might interfere with conventional treatments.
Elements of Treatment
Our treatments focus on clinical nutrition (diet, vitamins, minerals, etc.), botanical medicines such as herbs, prescription medicines, some Chinese medicine, physical modalities such as hydrotherapy, manipulation and massage, psychological and spiritual strategies, lifestyle changes and more. All of this can be a positive addition to, supportive of and extension of the current medical treatment plan.
Nutritional Supplements
Careful use of nutritional products can positively impact patient outcomes and compliance, according to evidence-based reports. We specialize in preventing unwanted drug-nutrient or drug-herb interactions. The supplements we prescribe meet our own strict standards, having undergone independent screening for purity and quality, as well as those of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), the official public standards-setting authority for all prescription and over-the-counter medicines. For more information on the Safe & Sound supplements we recommend, click here.
Continuing Medical Education (CME)
Northwest Natural Health offers various CME training options either at your site or ours and classes are approved for CME AMA and Nursing Category I certifications. Programs run from four to 16 hours and are tailored to your needs.
Who should attend?
Physicians, Nursing, Physician Assistants and all other licensed providers.
What is covered?
Programs cover a variety of important topics including:
• Scientific review of popular Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies.
• Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, mechanisms of interactions with conventional therapies, patient management, patient satisfaction, compliance issues, legal liability and more.
Why should you attend?
Providers are encountering savvy patients who have increased resources and information. Many patients are becoming familiar with and are trying complementary and alternative medicine on their own.
CAM is accessed by more than 50 percent of your patients and most do not tell their care providers of this use1. Even more may not recognize the risks for undesirable interactions or other adverse effects 2, 3.
In this participatory and unique workshop participants will be given the practical tools and medical information to begin to successfully assist their patients who combine traditional and alternative medicine for best achievable results. Participants will be able to address patient questions with knowledge and authority.
1 Eisenberg DM, Kessler RC, FosterC, et al: Unconventional medicine in the US: Prevalence, costs, and patterns of use. NEJM 328 (4); 246-252, 1993
2 Labriola, D, Livingston R: Possible interactions between dietary antioxidants and chemotherapy: Oncology 13 (7); 1003-1002, 1999
3 Labriola D: Compliance and your women patients: How managed care combined with the popularity of complementary medicine is affecting your practice. Northwest Physician; 4-6, 1996
Participants will gain and apply the following new clinical skills:
• Introduction to and applicability of current CAM therapies popular among oncology patients.
• How to successfully and safely integrate CAM therapies with traditional oncology treatments.
• How to avoid unwanted interactions and use proven strategies to provide win-win outcomes for you and your patients.
• Assurance of compliance with conventional treatments and avoiding the legal liability challenges.
