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How
to Choose a Practitioner
Introduction
Key Points
How do I choose a practitioner?
I have located the names of several
practitioners. How do I select one?
I have selected a practitioner.
What questions should I ask at my first visit?
How do I know if the practitioner
I have selected is right for me?
Can I change my mind about
the treatment or the practitioner?
Will insurance cover the cost
of a CAM practitioner?
Public funding for CAM services
in New Zealand
Professional
CAM Associations
Introduction
Selecting
a health care practitioner (of conventional or complementary
and alternative medicine) is an important decision and
can be key to ensuring that you are receiving the best
health care. This fact sheet answers frequently asked
questions about selecting a CAM practitioner, such as
issues to consider when making your decision and important
questions to ask the practitioner you select.
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Key Points
• If you are seeking a CAM practitioner, speak with your primary health
care provider(s) or someone you believe to be knowledgeable about the therapy
in which you are interested. Ask if they have a recommendation for the type of
CAM practitioner you are seeking.
• Make a list of CAM practitioners and gather information about each before
making your first visit. Ask basic questions about their credentials and practice.
Where did they receive their training? What licenses or certifications do they
have? How much will the treatment cost?
• Check with your insurer to see if the cost of therapy will be covered.
• After you select a practitioner, make a list of questions to ask at your
first visit. You may want to bring a friend or family member who can help you
ask questions and note answers.
• Come to the first visit prepared to answer questions about your health
history, including injuries, surgeries, and major illnesses, as well as prescription
medicines, vitamins, and other supplements you may be taking.
• Assess your first visit and decide if the practitioner is right for you.
Did you feel comfortable with the practitioner? Could the practitioner answer
your questions? Did she/he respond to you in a way that satisfied you? Does the
treatment plan seem reasonable and acceptable to you?
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How
do I choose a practitioner?
Before selecting a CAM therapy or practitioner, talk with your primary
health care provider(s) or someone you believe to be knowledgeable about
CAM. Tell them about the therapy you are considering and ask any questions
you may have. They may know about the therapy and be able to advise you
on its safety, use, and effectiveness, or possible interactions with
medications. Here are some suggestions for finding a practitioner:
• Ask your doctor or other health professionals whether they have recommendations
or are willing to make a referral.
• Ask someone you believe to be knowledgeable about CAM if they can recommend
a practitioner for the type of therapy you are seeking.
• Contact a nearby hospital or a medical school and ask if they maintain
a list of CAM practitioners or could make a recommendation.
• Ask if your therapy will be covered by insurance, for example some insurers
cover visits to a chiropractor. If it will, ask for a list of CAM practitioners
who accept your insurance.
• Contact a professional organization for the type of practitioner you
are seeking. Often, professional organizations have standards of practice, provide
referrals to practitioners, have publications explaining the therapy (or therapies)
that their members provide, and may offer information on the type of training
needed and whether practitioners of a therapy must be licensed or certified.
Professional organizations can be located by searching the Internet or directories
in libraries (see below for links
and addresses
of some New Zealand organizations).
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I have located the names of
several practitioners. How do I select one?
Begin by contacting
the practitioners on your list and gathering information.
• Ask what training or other qualifications the practitioner has. Ask about
her education, additional training, licenses, and certifications. If you contacted
a professional organization, see if the practitioner's qualifications meet the
standards for training and licensing for that profession.
• Ask if it is possible to have a brief consultation in person or by phone
with the practitioner. This will give you a chance to speak with the practitioner
directly. The consultation may or may not involve a charge.
• Ask if there are diseases/health conditions in which the practitioner
specializes and how frequently s/he treats patients with problems similar to
yours.
• Ask if the practitioner believes the therapy can effectively address
your complaint and if there is any scientific research supporting the treatment's
use for your condition.
• Ask how many patients the practitioner typically sees in a day, and how
much time she spends with each patient.
• Ask whether there is a brochure or Web site to tell you more about the
practice.
• Ask about charges and payment options. How much do treatments cost? If
you have insurance, does the practitioner accept your insurance? Even with insurance,
you may be responsible for a percentage of the cost.
• Ask about the hours appointments are offered. How long is the wait for
an appointment? Consider whether this will be convenient for your schedule.
• Ask about office location. If you are concerned, ask about public transportation
and parking. If you need wheelchair access, ask if this is available.
• Ask what will be involved in the first visit or assessment.
• Observe how comfortable you feel during these first interactions.
Once you have gathered the information, assess the answers and determine
which practitioner was best able to respond to your questions and best
suits your needs.
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I have selected a practitioner.
What questions should I ask at my first visit?
The first
visit is very important. Come prepared to answer questions
about your health history, such as surgeries, injuries,
and major illnesses, as well as prescriptions, vitamins,
and other supplements you take, your diet and lifestyle.
Not only will the practitioner wish to gather information
from you, but you will want to ask questions, too. Write
down ahead of time the questions you want to ask, or take
a family member or friend with you to help you remember
the questions and answers. Here are some questions you
may want to ask:
• What benefits can I expect from this therapy?
• What are the risks associated with this therapy?
• Do the benefits outweigh the risks for my disease or condition?
• What side effects can be expected?
• Will the therapy interfere with any of my daily activities?
• How long will I need to undergo treatment? How often will my progress
or plan of treatment be assessed?
• Will I need to buy any equipment or supplies?
• Could the therapy interact with conventional treatments?
• Are there any conditions for which this treatment should not be used?
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How do I know if the practitioner
I have selected is right for me?
After your
first visit with a practitioner, evaluate the visit. Ask
yourself:
• Was the practitioner easy to talk to? Did the practitioner make me feel
comfortable?
• Was I comfortable asking questions? Did the practitioner appear willing
to answer them, and were they answered to my satisfaction?
• Was the practitioner open to how both CAM therapy and conventional medicine
might work together for my benefit?
• Did the practitioner get to know me and ask me about my condition?
• Did the practitioner seem knowledgeable about my specific health condition?
• Does the treatment recommended seem reasonable and acceptable to me?
• Was the practitioner clear about the time and costs associated with treatment?
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Can I change my mind about the treatment or the practitioner?
Yes, if you
are not satisfied or comfortable, you can look for a different
practitioner or stop treatment. However, as with any conventional
treatment, talk with your practitioner before stopping
to make sure that it is safe to simply stop treatment -
it may not be advisable to stop some therapies midway through
a course of treatment.
Discuss with your practitioner
the reasons you are not satisfied or comfortable with
treatment. If you decide to stop a therapy or seek another
practitioner, make sure that you share this information
with any other health care practitioners you may have
as this will help them make decisions about your care.
Communicating with your practitioner(s) can be key to
ensuring the best possible health care.
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Will
insurance cover the cost of a CAM practitioner?
Few CAM therapies are covered by insurance and the amount of coverage
offered varies depending upon the insurer. Before agreeing to a treatment
that a CAM practitioner suggests, you should check with your insurer
to see if they will cover any portion of the therapy's cost. In New Zealand,
some insurance companies offer cover for GP referrals to chiropractors,
osteopaths, acupuncturists, naturopaths and homoeopaths. If insurance
does cover a portion of the cost, you will want to ask if the practitioner
accepts your insurance. Even with insurance, you may be responsible for
a percentage of the cost of therapy.
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Public funding for CAM services in New Zealand
ACC
Subsidies
ACC subsidises acupuncture, chiropractic, and osteopathy
services provided by specified providers. Ask your
practitioner whether they are ACC providers.
Work and Income New
Zealand
Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) has a policy of paying a Disability
Allowance to cover the cost of CAM treatment that a person requires due
to a disability. To qualify, the treatment must be provided by a registered
health professional, for example:
• a chiropractor
• an osteopath
• a medical practitioner
who practises homeopathy
• a medical practitioner
who practises acupuncture
• a physiotherapist
who practises acupuncture
A Disability Allowance is
not paid for:
• treatment that
is not provided or supervised by a registered health professional
• alternative treatments
such as iridology, reiki or faith healing provided by people who are not registered
health professionals
A Disability Allowance can include the cost of CAM products such as vitamins,
supplements, herbal remedies or minerals, so long as a doctor provides
verification that:
• there are no suitable
subsidised or partly subsidised mainstream pharmaceutical products available
to treat the disability
• the doctor has
applied to the District Health Board for a subsidy or increased subsidy
• the CAM product
is essential for the treatment of the person’s disability
References
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Professional CAM Associations
New Zealand Register of Acupuncturists
(NZRA).
http://acupuncture.jalna7.co.nz
Medical Acupuncture Society
of New Zealand (MASNZ).
www.converge.org.nz/masnz/
The Physiotherapy Acupuncture
Association of New Zealand (PAAN)
www.nzsp.org.nz/Index02/special_interest/08_paanz.html
New
Zealand Chiropractic Board.
www.regboards.co.nz/chiropractic
New Zealand Association of Medical Herbalists (NZAMH).
www.nzamh.org.nz
New Zealand Council of Homoeopaths (NZCH).
www.homoeopathy.co.nz
New Zealand Society of Naturopaths
www.naturopath.org.nz
The New Zealand Charter of Health Practitioners Inc
www.healthcharter.org.nz
NZ Natural Health Practitioners Accreditation
Board Inc.
PO Box 38-678,
Howick,
Auckland.
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