Premium
Survey of practices and policies relating to the use of complementary and alternative medicines and therapies in N ew S outh W ales cancer services
Author(s) -
Raszeja V. M.,
Jordens C. F. C.,
Kerridge I. H.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
internal medicine journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 1444-0903
DOI - 10.1111/imj.12010
Subject(s) - medicine , medical prescription , family medicine , cancer , alternative medicine , nursing , pathology
Aims To examine policies and practices relating to the provision, prescription and monitoring of complementary and alternative medicine and therapies ( CAM ) in conventional cancer services in NSW . Methods Self‐administered questionnaire sent to directors of all 65 eligible cancer services in NSW in 2009. Results Forty‐three services responded to the survey (response rate 66%). Only six (14%) services reported having formal policies about CAM . Most ( n = 33, 77%) expected that patients would be asked about CAM use during their initial assessment. Eight services (19%) provided and/or prescribed CAM for patients, and most of these ( n = 7) recorded details of CAM use in patients' records. Only four (9%) services permitted CAM practitioners from the community to attend inpatients, whereas 24 (56%) permitted inpatients to bring in their own CAM . Most of these services ( n = 17) required medical approval for the use of CAM . Of the latter, most ( n = 13) recorded the use of approved CAM , but only seven recorded use of unapproved CAM and only three refused permission to continue use of unapproved CAM . Conclusion Most cancer services in NSW recognise potential CAM use by patients and expect medical staff to ask patients about their use of CAM . While few cancer services provided or prescribed CAM , over half permitted inpatients to bring their own CAM into hospital. There was little control over the use of CAM , however, and monitoring was lax. Given the wide usage of CAM by patients with cancer, this lack of control may compromise clinical outcomes, with potentially dangerous consequences.