Examining Patient-Provider Communication and Medical Acupuncture Engagement to Foster Integrative Care in the Family Medicine Setting
Funded by the Acus Foundation (PI: Fisher)
Co-I: Dr. Christy Ledford, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; Dr. Paul Crawford, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Mike O’Callaghan Military Medical Center
UF Graduate Research Assistants: Michaela Devyn Mullis, Yewande Addie
We conducted interviews with family medicine physicians and their patients about their medical acupuncture experiences. Interviews and analyses are focused both on identifying provider-patient communication strategies, including the development of a communication model, to enhance patient engagement in acupuncture in the family medicine setting. We also focused on exploring barriers to integrating of complementary and alternative therapies into conventional medicine settings. Two additional analyses are also in process that include examining the use of metaphorical language expressions and turning points that impact patients’ and providers’ perceptions of acupuncture efficacy.