September 2012 | FON Consulting

Integrative Medicine is a Story, Not an Advertisement

My longtime professional background in media and marketing started during the still-heady days of television, radio and magazines. Cable was just making its way into the world. There was no Internet— at least not a public one—nor digital social networks. Professionals created content while producers, program directors and editors were the arbiters of what the public saw and consumed. Integrative healthcare was not as widely available back in those days.

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Hospital Systems Ignore Integrative Medicine at their Peril

The majority of hospital systems and cancer centers in major U.S. markets now offer an integrative medicine program of some shape or form. Many regional medical centers and hospital systems also feature such programs, while others are in the research and development stage. Organizations that ignore the growing consumer demand for integrative healthcare—and those shuttering existing programs as an austerity measure—do so at their long-term economic peril. About 38% of

16 Blogging Basics for Your Integrative Medicine Brand

Not long ago I wrote a popular three-part series on why a blog is so important for your center, how to go about setting one up and how to more fully distribute and re-purpose the core foundational content that is (or should be!) your blog. This missive is a how-to for writing effective blog posts. Basic Blog Writing Rules Worth Following: When writing, turn off email client and all social media windows so you

My Story and Healing Journeys

On this blog I write almost entirely about the business of integrative medicine for FON, so you may not know that I am a longtime cancer survivor. In fact, my journey with malignant disease, which began 21 years ago, has shaped my life and career in the field of integrative healthcare. (So … if you are expecting a business-oriented post, then please skip the rest of this piece.) My long

Integrative Medicine Thought Leadership

Thought leadership in any industry is important, but in the medical world it is essential for success. If you aspire to influence colleagues, peers, administrative decision-makers or the public, you need to become a thought leader. If you aim to influence those in your field and beyond—and the consumer public at the national or international level—there is simply no other practical route to get there. The powerful content creation and

Integrative Healthcare: Same Camp, Many Tents

It never fails to amaze how this growing but still fragmented subset of medicine that is integrative healthcare is comprised of so many loosely affiliated groups and monikers. Here’s a partial list: Integrative Medicine, Functional Medicine, Holistic Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, Longevity Medicine, Naturopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Chiropractic Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine. While clearly differing in their unique approach and purview, these groups espouse many

How to Get Paid Delivering Integrative Medicine

The future of evidence-based integrative healthcare delivery is limited to its economic feasibility, at both the consumer and practitioner level. This post focuses on the latter. Whether you are an MD, DO, ND, DC, LAc, LMT, dietician, nutritionist or practice one of a score of other integrative health disciplines, you need to get paid. It doesn’t matter if you run a small clinic as a solo practitioner or head up

FON: THE BUSINESS OF INTEGRATIVE HEALTH & MEDICINE

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