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Tips to Evaluating Integrative Health Information

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Professional and Continuing Education

Trusting the Experts – 3 Tips to Evaluating Integrative Health Information

Author: Daryl Nault

If you have ever attended an educational seminar, clinical workshop, or read an editorial written by a clinical professional, you’ve likely been exposed to expert advice. More than ever, experts may also share information online through blogs, vlogs, and even social media. Policymakers and the general public also place stock in expert advice, so it can also have considerable influence on public health measures too.

Expert advice (or opinion) generally refers to evidence, information, or guidance given by someone who’s work has made them an authority in their field. Clinical experts could be academics, specialists, or practicing clinicians, who have spent a considerable amount of time studying one area of interest. However, that doesn’t mean that everyone calling themselves an expert truly meets these criteria.

So, how do you know whether a piece of so-called expert advice is worth implementing in your practice? 

When experts present valid, relevant, evidence-based information, it can be incredibly useful. Unfortunately, not all expert advice meets these criteria, so it is up to you to critically appraise the information being provided.

On the other hand, you may also find that others look to you for expert advice, and you want to be sure you’re giving valid and reliable information to them too. Luckily, the same appraisal guidelines can be broadly applied in both situations.

Whether you’re appraising or giving expert advice, your foremost concerns should be on three things: transparency, balance, and accessibility.

Transparency 

Good expert advice should be clear on what is fact, and what is simply an opinion. If this is difficult to discern, proceed cautiously. Ideally, expert advice should only rarely be based on opinion, if at all. The information or facts being claimed should be well supported by relevant and applicable scientific evidence, rather than subjective findings like testimonials. The information provided should also be accurate and verifiable. If there is any question, check out similar resources. Do they align with what is being reported? If not, consider seeking out an additional reference or two to be sure.

You want to look for resources that are clear about the reason they are presenting the information. For example, the purpose of this resource is to provide a general guideline for a clinical audience in writing and appraising expert advice. At the end of this piece, we will also invite you to join us for a more comprehensive Professional and Continuing Education course if you would like to further improve your ability to write evidence-based information as an expert in your field.

Balance 

Alternative viewpoints, limitations, and methodologies should be discussed. If the expert or website is only providing positive or negative evidence in support of their claims, important information is possibly being omitted. Clinical applications should also be considered. Providing warnings where a modality or treatment is not evidenced to work well, or caveats to seek out the advice of your medical practitioner, shows that the author understands the relationship between clinical application and research evidence.

This may go without saying, but the expert should have some authority in the field they are reporting on, and the credentials to match. No matter how expert someone is in a field though, they should never insist that their answer is the only answer available. Red flags should go up if the expert is not open to the possibility that they may be wrong, or if they expect others to follow their lead without question.

Accessibility 

The advice should be intellectually accessible for the target audience. Be aware when experts use overly technical or complex language. This could indicate poor communication skills at best, or at worst, it could be a sign that the authors are trying to obscure the details.

The evidence authors reference should also be physically accessible to the intended audience. If the evidence being cited is entirely behind a paywall or otherwise inaccessible, readers are left without the ability to cross-reference the information being conveyed. Once information is no longer verifiable, and readers can only take the author’s word at face value.

Technically, anyone can call themselves an expert and give advice. As a clinician, others may naturally look to you to be the expert. Your clinical responsibility as an expert is to share information in a way that is transparent, balanced, and accessible.

 

Establish Yourself as a Credible Resource in Integrative Health

If you are looking to hone your evidence-based writing skills, you may be interested in our online, mentor-led Scientific Writing for Integrative Health Professional and Continuing Education course. This unique course is designed to help you improve the way you communicate evidence-based research with a lay or clinical audience, to help you become a trusted, educated, and authoritative resource for others in the field of integrative health.

Communicating Evidence-Based Research: Scientific Writing for Integrative Health

Online, Self-Paced, Mentor-led Course

Translating evidence-based health information is difficult, even for experienced health practitioners. Join this comprehensive six-module course with the support of an experienced mentor, and we’ll get you started in creating evidence-based compositions that you will be proud to share with your clinical community.

LEARN MORE AND ENROLL NOW! 

 

 

References and Additional Resources:

Investigating Public trust in Expert Knowledge: Narrative, Ethics, and Engagement. Journal of bioethical inquiry14(1), 23–30. doi:10.1007/s11673-016-9767-4

Massicotte A. (2015). When to trust health information posted on the Internet. Canadian pharmacists journal : CPJ = Revue des pharmaciens du Canada : RPC148(2), 61–63. doi:10.1177/1715163515569212.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Finding and Evaluating Online Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2019, from https://nccih.nih.gov/health/webresources

National Institute on Aging. Finding and Evaluating Online Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2019, from https://nccih.nih.gov/health/webresources

Nault, D., Beccia, A., Ito, H., Kashdan, S., & Senders, A. (2018). Health Information Discrepancies Between Internet Media and Scientific Papers Reporting on Omega-3 Supplement Research: Comparative Analysis. Interactive journal of medical research, 7(2), e15. doi:10.2196/ijmr.8981

Sbaffi, L., & Rowley, J. (2017). Trust and Credibility in Web-Based Health Information: A Review and Agenda for Future Research. Journal of medical Internet research19(6), e218. doi:10.2196/jmir.7579Camporesi, S., Vaccarella, M., & Davis, M. (2017).

Health and Wellness partnership announced between MUIH & Saldago de Saude

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Maryland University of Integrative Health and Instituto Salgado de Saúde Integral announce international partnership

Laurel, Md.— Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) and Instituto Salgado de Saúde Integral (Salgado Institute) announced today that they have signed an international health and wellness partnership agreement.

MUIH and Salgado Institute (Brazil) have entered into this partnership with the shared goal of working across international borders to positively impact the health and wellness of individuals and communities. Plans include collaboration on a variety of initiatives including educational programs, research, and health promotion.

Among the first collaborations was MUIH’s participation in Salgado Institute’s International Congress on Integrative Health Therapies in October 2019 (https://ihtcongress.org). The Congress provided a review of evidence-based integrative approaches to health through a program developed in collaboration with European, North and South American integrative therapy universities, institutes and professional associations. MUIH’s Marlysa Sullivan, associate professor of yoga therapy, presented her work on the role of yoga therapy in pain management. Rebecca Pille, chair of MUIH’s health and wellness coaching department, spoke about the benefits of health and wellness coaching in integrative health practices and settings.

“We are excited to begin a partnership with the Salgado Institute, and we look forward to learning from the unique expertise of Salgado’s scientists, practitioners, and educators. By sharing and combining our perspectives, we hope to enhance health and wellness practices in both North and South America,” says Marc Levin, MUIH’s president and CEO.

“It is truly a blessing to work with such an amazing institution and excellent group of professionals. We consider it a great opportunity for our students and professors to network with peers, learn and teach about integrative health therapies,” says Afonso Salgado, Salgado’s Institute founder and CEO.

About Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH)

Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) is a leading academic institution focused on the study and practice of integrative health and wellness and one of the few universities in the U.S. dedicated solely to such practices. Deeply rooted in a holistic philosophy, its model for integrative health and wellness is grounded in whole-person, relationship-centered, evidence-informed care.

Since 1974, MUIH has been a values driven community educating practitioners and professionals to become future health and wellness leaders through transformative programs grounded in traditional wisdom and contemporary science. MUIH has more than 20 progressive, graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, offered on-campus and online. In the on-campus Natural Care Center and community outreach settings, MUIH provides compassionate and affordable healthcare from student interns and professional practitioners, which delivers more than 20,000 clinical treatments and consultations each year. For more information visit www.muih.edu.

About Instituto Salgado de Saúde Integral (Salgado Institute)

Instituto Salgado de Saúde Integral (Salgado Institute) is the largest integrative health school in Brazil and is composed by clinicians and researchers in many health-related areas sharing the same view, to promote excellence in knowledge and patient care, evidence-based information, innovative trainings and workshops in Brazil as well as overseas. Salgado Institute is the result of more than 30 years of acquired knowledge and professional expansion engagement of its founders Afonso and Nilma Salgado. For more information, please visit http://integralhealthbrazil.com.

MUIH Introduces Services at Howard County General Hospital

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MUIH for the Howard County General Hospital

Maryland University of Integrative Health’s Natural Care Center introduces a new collaboration with the Claudia Mayer/Tina Broccolino Cancer Resource Center at Howard County General Hospital. The expanded range of therapies will support members in the local community, including cancer patients.

“One of the most beneficial aspects of the Natural Care Center is its deep connection to the Howard County community,” said Dr. Michelle McNear, Ph.D., director of the Natural Care Center. “We’re excited to bring our integrative health services to those in need of ways to manage chronic pain and other chronic conditions such as cancer treatment.”

Services available in the center at Howard County General Hospital include:

· Acupuncture

· Clinical nutrition

· Massage therapy

For more than 40 years, the Natural Care Center at Maryland University of Integrative Health has provided powerful, meaningful, and effective healing experiences for patients and clients that arrive with a wide array of health challenges.

About Maryland University of Integrative Health

Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) is a leading academic institution focused on the study and practice of integrative health and wellness and one of the few universities in the U.S. dedicated solely to such practices. Deeply rooted in a holistic philosophy, its model for integrative health and wellness is grounded in whole-person, relationship-centered, evidence-informed care.

Since 1974, MUIH has been a values driven community educating practitioners to become future health and wellness leaders through transformative programs grounded in traditional wisdom and contemporary science. MUIH has more than 20 progressive, graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, offered on-campus and online. In the on-campus Natural Care Center and community outreach settings, MUIH provides compassionate and affordable healthcare from student interns and professional practitioners, which delivers more than 20,000 clinical treatments and consultations each year.

For more information visit our website.

Medicare Coverage for Acupuncture Holds Promise for Patients

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acupuncture for chronic back pain

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) announced some historic and exciting news: In CMS’ January 21st decision memo it formally announced it would reimburse acupuncture for chronic low back pain for Medicare recipients. This is a significant milestone on the path to getting acupuncture widely recognized for its ability to help the public with a persistent and difficult chronic condition. The fact that CMS, one of the largest federal agencies, has acknowledged the effectiveness of acupuncture holds promise for patients and acupuncturists.

CMS included licensed acupuncturists as one of the providers under its “auxiliary personnel” clause. This is currently the only way CMS could include acupuncturists as they are not listed as an approved provider of Medicare services in the Social Security Act (SSA). CMS used the avenue available to it at this time to include acupuncturists and acupuncture services in Medicare.

Acupuncturists will be allowed to provide these services under the “appropriate level” of supervision by either a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist. While this is not ideal, it is still a step in the right direction as the supervision is not required to be “direct”, and again this reflects the SSA limitations CMS is working within. As the American Society of Acupuncturists highlighted in their press release regarding CMS’ decision:

“While nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and physician assistants may not practice acupuncture, their supervisory availability also vastly expands the potential for collaborative agreements. It is implicit in this that these providers are not specifically directing the nature of the acupuncture treatment, but rather are collaboratively assuring patient diagnoses, safety, follow-up, and connection to the established care system.” https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Breaking-News–ASA-and-NCCAOM-Joint-Letter-regarding-CMS-Acupuncture-Determination.html?soid=1129429298898&aid=s70PLhiLpGk

This first step provides the most advantageous way under the current law to provide acupuncture to more Medicare recipients, recognize and include acupuncturists, and further elevate acupuncture as an effective treatment for chronic low back pain which, when not appropriately addressed, can lead to opioid misuse and addiction.

MUIH will continue to lend its support to efforts – big and small – that ensure the public has access to effective health and wellness opportunities and its graduates have a robust and fulfilling professional environment to step into when they graduate.