Over the past two decades, our field of Integrative Medicine and Health has effectively established itself as a visionary, coherent, and compelling advocate for the transformation of our ailing healthcare system.  The Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health has articulated a multi-disciplinary, team-based, and holistic approach to health care that recognizes the effects of biomedical, psychological, socioeconomic, and spiritual factors on patient health outcomes.  We have conducted high-quality research that has shown integrative healthcare strategies to be safe and effective, particularly for common health problems for which conventional medical therapies have not met the needs of many patients.  Because of these successes, respected medical guidelines now recommend using integrative therapies for chronic pain, cancer, and other conditions. The 2024 Congress will focus on the challenging next step in our journey:  moving integrative healthcare strategies into mainstream healthcare.

Trying to change the health care “system” is a daunting task given its complexity and resistance to change.  Well-known barriers to change include insurance coverage, unawareness of the evidence, system rigidity, and entrenched stakeholders that wish to maintain the status quo.  Nevertheless, because of growing dissatisfaction by patients, clinicians, employers, and government payers, there are more opportunities for fundamental change.  Notably, the Veterans Affairs health care system recently adopted a Whole Health approach for veterans, the NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has designated “whole person health” a research priority, and the National Academy of Medicine has released a report that calls for a nationwide effort to promote patient-centered care.

The time is ripe for us to become a major player in efforts to develop, implement, and evaluate integrative, whole-person strategies to transform healthcare. The 2024 Congress program will elucidate the barriers we face for meaningful change, ways to overcome them, and how to capitalize on new opportunities that have emerged. At the same time, we strive to maintain the core essence of connection and compassion for our patients, our colleagues, and ourselves.  We also strive to acknowledge and protect the healing traditions that have the potential to help our patients and rejuvenate our broken healthcare system. Please join us on this new and exciting phase of our collective journey to transform health care.