Integrative Medicine for the Underserved (IM4US) Conference attendees advocated for non-pharmacological therapies for chronic pain on Capitol Hill, shared practical ways of making people healthier, and discussed sustainable care models that make integrative health care more accessible during the organization’s annual meeting in June in Washington, D.C.
The 8th Annual IM4US Conference was held at the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) and the Milken Institute School of Public Health. GW has a recognized commitment to Integrative Medicine, healing through innovative and compassionate care, and eliminating health disparities.
“We are sincerely grateful for the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and Dr. Misha Kogan for hosting our annual conference,” IM4US President Priscilla Abercrombie, RN, NP, PHD. “It was incredible to see so many local practitioners and organizations who provide integrative services for the underserved participating in our conference either as presenters, attendees or volunteers. Our organization and movement is stronger when more voices like those from GW are engaged in the work we do.”
Hundreds of healing professionals, academics, administrators, advocates, and students attended the 3-day conference for the educational experience. But they also made connections with peers, organizations, policymakers, and legislators to gain, or improve upon, the tools needed to take action to change health care policy on the national, state, and local levels. The event provides educational opportunities to a wide range of healing professionals, from acupuncturists and energy healers to massage therapists and medical doctors.
IM4US fundamentally believes that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. The organization advocates to preserve those rights and promote the benefits of Integrative Medicine and the impact it can have on not only improving health outcomes for chronic diseases, but also in addressing the opioid epidemic.
For the first time ever, the organization hosted a Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill on “Non-Drug Solutions to Opioid Use and Chronic Pain Management in Underserved Populations.” The event was in keeping with the conference theme of “Justice & Equity in Policy and Practice.”
Integrative health and wellness, when incorporated in a primary care framework, has the ability to improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. This is even more pronounced in underserved settings where these approaches can also be effective in reducing health disparities.
"IM4US is a bright light that attracts holistic providers who cares for people unable to afford the cash prices required to receive care at most of Integrative Medicine clinics,” said IM4US Conference Co-Chair Mikhail “Misha” Kogan, MD, an assistant professor of medicine and associate director of the Integrative Geriatric Fellowship at the GW SMHS. “One would think that a deteriorating health care system, access disparities, poor federal and local funding for underserved communities would stop us from trying to do this work. Yet this conference proved that the light of passion in hearts of those trying to care for all is only getting stronger.”
The conference attendees learned about affordable integrative approaches to common health conditions, shared evidence-based best integrative practices, and what does and doesn’t work when it comes to advocating for integrative medicine for the underserved.
Sharad Kohli, MD, secretary of the Board, IM4US and co-chair, noted that the breakout sessions were invaluable. “During several presentations, I heard speakers talk about how they attended the conference a few years back and learned some new concepts that they took back to their own communities. They were able to implement and expand these ideas and services, and now they are back teaching others about what they have accomplished and how to do it.”
This was one of the main reasons why the organization started the conference nearly a decade ago. “At the time, there wasn't a space to share ways to bring integrative care to underserved populations,” Dr. Kohli said. “And to now have an established forum where people can learn from one another and spread this movement nationwide is truly inspiring!"
The Samueli Foundation participated as Lead Sponsor and the AIM Health Institute co-sponsored the conference. A D.C.-based organization founded by Dr. Kogan, AIM Health Institute’s mission is to bring the world of integrative medicine to all regardless of their ability to pay.
John Weeks, a writer, speaker, chronicler, and organizer with more than three decades of experience in the Integrative Medicine and Health movement, spoke on the “Convergence in Access: Next Steps in the 50 Year Evolution of Integrative Health.”
“Even after 35 years in this field, the IM4US conference at George Washington University was a unique gathering for the diversity of participants, experiences and perspectives,” Weeks said. “Integrative Medicine has always had access problems. It was great to directly engage over those two days with the ideas and proposed personal, organization, clinical and policy solutions via the presentations, hallway encounters and some great, late-night discussions.”
He was particularly struck by the leadership of IM4US in exploring the value of group visits and group-delivered services. For example, there were workshops and breakout sessions on various aspects of group visits, including how to build the facilitation skills needed to do them effectively.
"The rest of medicine, and specifically those in the integrative health field, have a good deal to learn from the pioneering of people who presented," Weeks added.
In 2019, IM4US will hold its annual conference in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more in on the organization and the toolkit it designed for healing professionals interested in working in underserved settings, go to im4us.org.
