Tampa General Hospital

"By all means, we need mainstream medicine to take care of acute conditions and life-threatening situations," Dr. Chokshi says. "But when acute care is over, we can help patients cope and prevent further injury or psycho-emotional harm involved in illness by combining these techniques with their care." These programs like the one at TGH are catching on in the health care world, but still are not fully accepted as part of mainstream medicine — at least where insurance companies are concerned. At TGH, for instance, funding for the program comes from The Tampa General Hospital Foundation. But more and more physicians are recommending these kinds of complementary services for patients suffering from chronic conditions, with pain and anxiety at the top of the list. For Bedard, the power of integrative medicine became clear the first time she saw Dr. Chokshi, shortly after she awoke from her comatose state. "I didn't recognize her," Bedard says. "But somehow I knew she was a very important person to me. It was very, very odd." As Bedard now knows, Dr. Chokshi may well have saved her life. Thrashing and kicking in her comatose state, Bedard had become violent, in danger of ripping IVs and monitors out of her body. Quietly talking with Bedard day after day at her bedside, Dr. Chokshi was able to calm her. "On some subconscious level she connected with me," Bedard says. "I don't know how she did it, but I stopped thrashing, and my body was able to heal." A RISING TREND Like Bedard, many patients at TGH are treated in their hospital rooms. Others are able to go to the Peace Room, a serene escape with massage tables, aromatherapy, art supplies, music, and forest scenes painted on the walls. Although the program was slow to gain acceptance, today referrals come from doctors all over the hospital, for preemies to palliative care patients. "Physicians here are no longer an obstacle," says Danielle DeCosmo, who helps coordinate care with Dr. Chokshi. "They see how well it's working and they understand the research and the need to make it part of the health care system." DeCosmo evaluates each patient in a brief screening interview to determine which service is a good fit. "I read their body language, and they light up when I mention something they like," DeCosmo says. For people in severe pain, massage or reflexology might not be the best option. But almost everyone is happy to listen to a song as a simple introduction to the program. "At its most basic level, music relaxes the heart rate or picks it up, depending on the rhythm," says DeCosmo, herself a musician. "We're either trying to relax a patient, or if they're in a frozen state, we're trying to help them out of their trauma." WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE AT TGH? READ THE REST OF THE STORY AT 4HEALTHIER.ME/ TGH-INTEGRATIVE. Integrative medicine is an approach to health care that encompasses the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of patients. Integrative medicine therapies effectively aid patients experiencing stress, anxiety and acute or chronic pain by supporting: • Comfort • Relaxation • Improved rest • Clearer thinking • Improved circulation • Sense of well-being • Reduced stress • Natural healing T R E AT I N G T H E W hole Per son 15 winter 2017 / tgh.org

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