Complementary and alternative medicine - The importance of doctor-patient communication

All health care professionals should learn to talk to their patients about complementary and alternative medicine. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses a wide range of therapies and health care modalities that are widespread throughout the general population. Although most CAM users also partake in traditional medicine, many of these patients do not disclose this to their physicians. This article will discuss the importance of communicating about CAM with patients, explore who uses it, review the benefits of such therapy, discuss the barriers to effective doctor-patient communication, and explain how to begin the discussion with patients.