Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Modern Healthcare

Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Modern Healthcare Gealina Dun College Within a College Program, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA

Theories of Traditional Chinese BENEFITS and LIMITATIONS OF USE OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

Medicine (TCM) TRADITIONAL MEDICINE [4] Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a form of Benefits complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), has been •
Greater access to care due to fewer technological practiced for over 2500 years, and approaches health as an interrelated and holistic state of being. Using multiple needs methods, the theories of TCM aim to balance: •
Holistic approach to health •
Qi •
Prevention is an integral part to care •
Yin and Yang (Fig. 1) •
Less invasive, fewer side effects •
The Five Elements •
Lower cost •
ZangFu Organs Limitations •
Efficacy as compared to allopathic interventions •
Questions of safety •
Lack of evidence-base TCM in CHINESE HEALTHCARE Use of CAM SYSTEM rose from •
China is one of the few countries in which 36% in 2002 traditional medicine is given equal weight to BARRIERS TO USE OF to nearly allopathic medicine [1]. TRADITIONAL MEDICINES in USA 40% in 2007. Use of CAM •
There are two tracks of medical training in China: •
Lack of reimbursement by insurance companies in children is one for TCM, and one for allopathic medicine. •
Lack of certification by practitioners about 12%. [3] •
Despite the general acceptance of TCM, about •
Lack of knowledge by the public and physicians 75% of the country’s healthcare expenditure goes about indications for CAM to hospital inpatient and outpatient care. [2] Resources within the USA •
The common elements of TCM that are practiced include: •
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) [nccam.nih.gov] REFERENCES –
Herbal medicine [1] Hesketh, Therese, and Wei Xing Zhu. "Health in China. Traditional Chinese medicine: one country, two systems." BMJ: British Medical Journal 315.7100 (1997): 115. –
Acupuncture •
National Certification Commission for Acupuncture [2] Liu, Xingzhu, Yuanli Liu, and Ningshan Chen. "The Chinese experience of hospital price and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) regulation." Health Policy and Planning 15.2 (2000): 157-163. –
Tuina massage [3] "NCCAOM - The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental [www.nccaom.org] Medicine." NCCAOM - The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. –
Moxibustion N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2013. [3] "The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States." National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. National Institutes of Health, Dec. 2008. Web. 27 Sept. 2013. [4] World Health Organization. "WHO traditional medicine strategy 2002-2005." (2002).