BibTeX
@MISC{Cooper_credentialingcomplementary,
author = {Richard A. Cooper},
title = {Credentialing Complementary and Alternative Medical Providers},
year = {}
}
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Abstract
Since the late 19th century, state legislatures and professional medical organizations have developed mechanisms to license phy-sicians and other conventional nonphysician providers, establish standards of practice, and protect health care consumers by es-tablishing standardized credentials as markers of competence. The popularity of complementary and alternative medical (CAM) ther-apies presents new challenges. This article describes the current status of, and central issues in, efforts to create models for health care credentialing of chiropractors, acupuncturists, naturopaths, massage therapists, and other CAM practitioners. It also suggests a strategy of CAM provider credentialing for use by physicians, health care administrators, insurance companies, and national pro-fessional organizations. The credentialing debate reflects fundamental questions about who determines which providers and therapies will be ac-cepted as safe, effective, appropriate, and reimbursable. More nationally uniform credentialing mechanisms are necessary to en-sure high standards of care and more generalizable clinical re-search. However, the result of more uniform licensure and creden-tialing may be excessive standardization and a decrease in individualization of services. Thus, increased standardization of credentialing for CAM practitioners may alter CAM practice sub-stantially. Furthermore, even credentialed providers can deliver ineffective therapy. The suggested framework balances the desire to protect the public from dangerous practices against the wish to grant patients access to reasonably safe and effective therapies. Ann Intern Med. 2002;137:965-973. www.annals.org
Keyphrases
alternative medical provider cam practitioner health care credentialing ann intern med insurance company suggested framework cam practice massage therapist state legislature generalizable clinical re-search effective therapy es-tablishing standardized credential current status cam provider central issue national pro-fessional organization patient access en-sure high standard professional medical organization uniform credentialing mechanism uniform licensure fundamental question dangerous practice late 19th century new challenge excessive standardization health care administrator conventional nonphysician provider ineffective therapy health care consumer
