What distinguishes complementary health from integrative health?

• A. Complementary health uses non-mainstream practices with conventional medicine; integrative health uses them in a coordinated, patient-centered approach
• B. Integrative health is uncoordinated
• C. Complementary health excludes conventional medicine
• D. Integrative health uses no evidence-based practices

Answer: (A)

Understanding how therapies are used and coordinated clarifies the difference. Complementary health involves non-mainstream therapies used alongside conventional medical care to supplement standard treatment, but it may not be organized within a formal, coordinated system. Integrative health, on the other hand, combines conventional medicine with evidence-based complementary therapies in a coordinated, patient-centered approach that involves collaboration among healthcare providers and a focus on the whole person.

This coordinated, collaborative integration is what distinguishes integrative health. It isn’t about discarding conventional care or using therapies without evidence. Complementary therapies are used with conventional care, but the approach isn’t necessarily integrated into a single, coordinated plan.