CAM and the American College of Physicians

The Physicians’ Information and Education Resource (PIER) was developed by the American College of Physicians (ACP). It includes tools designed by the Ambulatory Care Quality Alliance (AQA) that are intended to help improve preventive health services and patient outcomes in asthma, coronary artery disease, diabetes, depression, falls, and heart failure.

Interestingly, the PIER modules include information on CAM, as well as ethical and legal issues, and procedures for screening and prevention. PIER is available online to members of the American College of Physicians. This is good because attention to CAM by ACP enhances its perceived worth among its members.

But what about the rest of us?

The AQA was initially convened by the American Academy of Family Physicians, ACP, America’s Health Insurance Plans, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). It consists of a large group of clinicians, consumers, purchasers, health plans, and others.

Making the CAM component of PIER (or a modified version) readily available to other healthcare professionals and the public would be the best use of this valuable information.

7/27/06 20:37 JR