We live in an exciting time in health care. More and more these days, providers of traditional medicine are beginning to show interest in alternative and complementary care, and providers from “opposite sides of the tracks” are working together to optimize patient care. Historically, alternative therapies were looked down upon by the medical community due to insufficient research. Today, there exist many studies which validate complementary and alternative therapies. This, paired with the large demand for care with fewer side effects, has driven the incorporation of alternative treatment into mainstream medicine. The hospitals which include the best aspects of all fields will be the hospitals of the future.

Historically, alternative providers such as chiropractors, acupuncturists, herbalists and homeopaths knocked heads with providers of traditional medicine. There is nothing more disgruntling to a patient than having an alternative provider telling a patient to avoid medical care or vice-versa and, in essence, having them choose sides.

In my opinion, the perfect place to integrate complementary and alternative health care is in a nonprofit hospital and rural health medical practice such as Grace Cottage, where traditional and complementary care providers can work side-by-side, with quality of care being the sole goal. Here at Grace Cottage, I work with physicians, family nurse practitioners, and various ancillary providers, and this partnership has been a great success, providing Grace Cottage patients with more options for care. This is the future of patient care and it’s already happening at Grace Cottage.

Dr. Matthew Davis has been employed at Grace Cottage Family Health since February, 2006. He is a member of the Vermont Chiropractic Association and the American Chiropractic Association.