Observations from a bottom-line-oriented true believer

While it is difficult to find two people who agree on the definition of complementary medicine, the McGrady and Freshley and Carlson articles help substantially in creating a common definition. This information should help to move providers and practitioners to a better understanding of complementary medicine and its inevitable presence on the American healthcare scene. In the post-Balanced Budget Act era, healthcare executives and physicians recognize that a business-as-usual approach to the delivery of healthcare services is not an option. Cultivating new sources of revenue and having a retail rather than a reimbursement mindset of new ventures is essential. The $13.7 billion dollars being spent annually on complementary medicine is money hospitals can no longer afford to leave on the table. If complementary medicine is approached with the proper philosophical and leadership commitment, and is truly accepted as an important component in the continuum of care, financial success will follow.