 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
  |
 |
|
Pacific
College Grad First Acupuncturist in Wellness Collaborative
Andrew Crimmel, a 1999 graduate of Pacific College, recently joined forces with WellQuest, a company that is integrating complementary modalities with Western medicine. Crimmel will act as the company's first licensed acupuncturists to provide acupuncture services in family medicine offices. WellQuest was created by Pinnacle Health, a community-based healthcare system offering services and programs for people of all ages and backgrounds in Central Pennsylvania. Care is provided by over 700 primary care physicians and specialists through Pinnacle Health's four hospitals (Community General Osteopathic, Harrisburg, Polyclinic and Seidle), a network of family practice and urgent care centers, managed care entities, home healthcare, hospice and an array of healthcare services. In addition to its general healthcare services, Pinnacle Health has well-established diabetes, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs. WellQuest was created in order to facilitate the integration of safe and effective alternative healing techniques into traditional programs already established at Pinnacle Health. Alternative healing techniques for possible integration include: massage therapy, acupuncture, aromatherapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, yoga, energetic healing, Tai Chi, guided imagery, counseling, meditation instruction, and nutritional counseling. Strong evidence suggests that people with major diseases experience depression and stress that can have a direct result on compliance with programs and follow-up treatment. By adding complementary therapies to traditional rehab programs, patient compliance and success can improve. WellQuest was created in order to facilitate the integration of safe and effective alternative healing techniques into traditional programs already established at Pinnacle Health. Alternative healing techniques for possible integration include: massage therapy, acupuncture, aromatherapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, yoga, energetic healing, Tai Chi, guided imagery, counseling, meditation instruction, and nutritional counseling. Strong evidence suggests that people with major diseases experience depression and stress that can have a direct result on compliance with programs and follow-up treatment. By adding complementary therapies to traditional rehab programs, patient compliance and success can improve. "WellQuest is a collaborative healing institute. Not alternative, not complementary, but 'collaborative,' and I think that is important", says Crimmel. WellQuest will host a multi-disciplinary team that includes physicians, nurse practitioners, acupuncturists, massage therapists, chiropractors, herbalists, nutritionists and yoga and tai chi instructors. All of the providers are certified and undergo a credentialing process, assuring their expertise. WellQuest will coordinate all the scheduling, and educate consumers about their complementary health care options while trying to identify the best modality for each patient's condition. Since WellQuest is a fully integrated program, complementary practitioners will be able to work in the same office as a patient's regular physician, allowing them to work collaboratively and manage the case together. When asked about the future of WellQuest and the integration of complementary therapies with Western medicine, Crimmel says that current acupuncture students should be encouraged that there are mainstream medical establishments who are interested in integrating acupuncture. "I haven't heard of many medical systems of this size and scope integrating such a wide range of complementary modalities. Pinnacle Health is a very large health organization. This is going to give tremendous mainstream exposure for complementary therapies." For more information on WellQuest, please contact (717) 782-2831 or mmajor@pinnaclehealth.org.
|
|
| prospective studentscurrent studentsalumnicampusesabout our clinicpacific symposiumnews & eventspublications |
Copyright ©2002-05 Pacific College of
Oriental Medicine. All rights reserved.
|
