(March 21, 2011) Sellersville, PA – Over 100 people attended Grand View’s Integrative Medicine conference on Saturday to learn about an innovative, whole-person approach to medical care that considers the mind, body, and spirit. Held in Grand View’s Outpatient Center at Sellersville, the conference was a first on the topic for the hospital, which is exploring ways to broaden access to Integrative Medicine in Upper Bucks and Montgomery Counties.
Through physician lectures, demonstrations, and interactive question and answer sessions led by experienced practitioners, guests explored how combining conventional medicine with evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine can enhance one’s health and well-being. “We decided to offer this program because we recognize that Integrative Medicine is a concept that has taken hold around the globe, across America, and locally,” Grand View’s division manager of planning, Maricarol Morley said. “This innovative approach appeals to people interested in healthy lifestyle choices, prevention, and options that go beyond medication and surgery.”
“Integrative Medicine does not replace conventional medical care. It combines with complementary and alternative medicine practices, many of which have been used in other parts of the world for centuries,” featured speaker William Kracht, DO, of Woodlands Healing Research Center in Quakertown said. “Unlike conventional medicine, which focuses on treating specific diseases as they arise, Integrative Medicine takes an individualized approach where patient and physician work together, anticipate possible health issues, and seek prevention.”
Practitioners demonstrated hands-on healing treatments including massage therapy by Grand View massage therapist Marianne Vargo, LMT, and acupuncture by Harvard-trained acupuncturist Neilson Mathews, MD, of Integrated Medical Acupunture and Grand View Medical Practices in Chalfont.
A crowd gathered around Dr. Mathews as he demonstrated on John Minnich, MD, of Upper Bucks Otrthopaedics. “Acupuncture is over 2000 years old,” Dr. Mathews said. “There are more than 400 acupoints in the body and each has a different effect and targets different organs and tissues. Acupuncture is used to treat back pain, headaches, rheumatoid arthritis, anxiety, fibromyalgia, and other conditions.” Asked what his first-ever experience with acupuncture was like, Dr. Minnich responded, “I was very relaxed and barely felt anything. I envisioned that I was on the beach and almost drifted off to sleep. I would not hesitate to try acupuncture in the future.”
Dr Minnich was also one of several physician lecturers. He spoke on the topic ‘Building a Healthier Body & Bones’. Other lectures included the following:
- Integrative Medicine: What It Is, How It Works, & When to Seek It Out, presented by William Kracht, DO, Family & Integrative Medicine Physician, Woodlands Healing Research Center, Quakertown.
- Addressing Chronic Pain with Healing Therapies, presented by Roy Jackel, MD, Neurologist, Neurologic Group of Bucks and Montgomery County, Sellersville.
- Achieving Balanced Heart Health, presented by Todd Alderfer, MD, Cardiologist, Alderfer & Travis Cardiology, Sellersville.
- Healthy Lifestyle Choices that Protect & Strengthen, presented by Rebecca Nice, DO, Family & Integrative Medicine Physician, Wellness Works, Chalfont.
In other areas of the conference, Celia Malmad, DC, answered chiropractic questions and Grand View physical therapist Ruth Bischoff, PT, addressed applications for physical therapy within Integrative Medicine. Soothing sounds of harp music created a relaxing environment as Abington Reproductive explained how harp therapy is used in fertility treatment. Guests had an opportunity to learn about mind-body strengthening benefits of yoga, tai chi, and qi gong by participating in mini-classes with Grand View exercise instructors, Kristen Allis-Urffer and Ben Caccavale. Guests sampled foods and received a recipe booklet complete with nutritional information as Grand View Clinical Nutrition Manager, Jean West-Zawacki, RD, LDN discussed healthy whole grains.
In an upcoming event, Grand View Hospital is hosting a special free program, ‘Complementary Therapies in Breast Cancer Care,’ on April 11, from 7 to 9 pm, at the Grand View Hospital Community Education Center. Registration is required. For more information on this and other events held by the hospital, please call the Grand View Information Line at (215) 453-4300 or visit www.gvh.org.
Grand View Hospital, Bucks County’s first hospital, has provided residents of Bucks and Montgomery counties with comprehensive health care services since 1913. Grand View offers a range of inpatient and outpatient care – particularly emphasizing the areas of surgery and orthopaedics, women's and children's health, heart and vascular care, and cancer treatment.
HealthGrades®, the nation’s leading healthcare ratings company, awarded Grand View the Patient Safety Excellence Award™ for three consecutive years, 2008, 2009, and 2010. In addition, Grand View is the only hospital in Bucks and Montgomery Counties to receive a five-star quality rating in total joint replacement for 2010 from HealthGrades®. The American Stroke Association recently awarded Grand View Hospital its Get with the GuidelinesSM–Stroke (GWTG–Stroke) Gold Performance Achievement Award. |
|
Pictured left to right: Family & Integrative Medicine physician William Kracht, DO, Woodlands Healing Research Center, Quakertown; Orthopaedist John Minnich, MD, Upper Bucks Orthopaedics, Sellersville; Cardiologist Todd Alderfer, MD, Alderfer & Travis Cardiology, Sellersville; Acupuncurist & Family Medicine Physician Neil Mathews, MD, Integrated Medical Acupuncture & Grand View Medical Practices, Chalfont.
Orthopaedist John Minnich, MD, Upper Bucks Orthopaedics, Sellersville, lectured on ‘Building a Healthier Body & Bones.’
Acupuncturist and Family Medicine physician Neil Mathews, MD, demonstrated acupuncture on Dr. John Minnich, Upper Bucks Orthopaedics, Sellersville.
Grand View yoga instructor Kristen Allis-Urffer led mini-exercise classes.
Celia Malmad, DC, Chiropractic Healing Arts Center, Quakertown, addressed chiropractic questions.
Grand View Hospital Clinical Nutrition Manager, Jean West-Zawacki, RD, LDN, discussed healthy whole grains and provided samples and a recipe booklet with nutrition information.
Grand View Hospital exercise instructor Ben Caccavale led mini-exercise classes in Tai Chi and Qi Gong.
Family & Integrative Medicine physician Rebecca Nice, Wellness Works, Chalfont presented a lecture ‘Healthy Lifestyle Choices that Protect & Strengthen.’
|