How should complementary practitioners and physicians communicate? A cross-sectional study from Israel.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare communication
• Interprofessional collaboration
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

Background:

• Growing use of CAM necessitates understanding physician and CAM practitioner communication and collaboration.
• Limited data exists on physician and CAM practitioner expectations regarding interprofessional dialogue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare physician and CAM practitioner attitudes and expectations concerning communication and collaboration.
• To identify potential barriers and facilitators for interprofessional teamwork.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted using electronic and mail questionnaires.
• The study targeted 2532 primary care physicians and 450 CAM practitioners in Israel.
• Response rates were 13% for physicians and 54% for practitioners.

Main Results:

• A majority of both physicians and CAM practitioners expressed interest in clinical practice collaboration (69% and 77%, respectively).
• Both groups preferred medical letters for communication and expected to consult on mutual patients.
• CAM practitioners showed significantly higher interest in collaborative research and education compared to physicians.

Conclusions:

• Physicians favor a physician-guided teamwork model, while practitioners prefer a more collaborative approach.
• Educational initiatives should prioritize improving communication and practical skills for writing referral/medical letters between physicians and CAM practitioners.