Someone's in the hospital or seriously ill
Does my hospital have an integrative medicine program?
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It may well have one. Many academic medical centers and cancer centers do, under names like integrative medicine, integrative health, whole health or wellness. The quickest way to find out is to ask: the nurse, the patient advocate, or the hospital's main phone line.
What to do
- Search the hospital's website for "integrative", "whole health", "acupuncture" or "massage".
- Ask the nurse or patient advocate: is there an integrative medicine team, and how do patients get a referral?
- Ask what they offer to patients in the hospital and after you go home, whether a doctor's order is needed, and what it costs.
What to say
Does this hospital have an integrative medicine or whole health program? I'd like to know what it offers alongside my care, and how to get a referral.
Ask the nurse first. If they aren't sure, ask for the patient advocate or the patient relations office.
What to watch out for
This is a sensitive stepSmall details here can change the outcome, and some mistakes are hard to undo. We highly recommend a free 15-minute call with us before you decide.
Looking only for the word "integrative". The same services may sit under the cancer center, the pain team, rehab, spiritual care or a wellness center. Ask about the service you want, like acupuncture, massage, music or meditation, not only the program name.
Also: forgetting care after you go home. Some programs see outpatients only, so ask whether they can see you after discharge.
Better done together
We’re here to help
Hospitals are big, and the right door is not always marked. The service you want may exist under another name, in another building, with its own way to get a referral.
We can help you find out what your hospital offers, who to ask, and what it may cost, so you can spend your energy on getting well. Book a free 15-minute call and we'll look into it with you.
Every situation is different, and these are sensitive moments, so we look at yours with care. We often see what others miss, and we never take commissions from insurance companies: the only thing we are working for is what is right for you.
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The rule behind it
NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes integrative health as bringing conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way. It notes that cancer centers with integrative programs may offer services such as acupuncture during treatment. The Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health lists its member institutions publicly on its website, sorted by state. Members are accredited academic health centers, hospitals or health systems, osteopathic medical centers or nursing schools with active integrative medicine programs in at least two of three areas: education, research and clinical care. A hospital that is not on the list may still offer these services. If you get care at the VA, ask about Whole Health: the VA lists acupuncture, massage, yoga, tai chi and meditation among its approved therapies, and each facility has a Whole Health contact.
Sources
- Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health · Member listing
- NIH NCCIH · Complementary, alternative, or integrative health: what's in a name?
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs · Whole Health
- 42 CFR 482.13 · Hospital condition of participation: patient's rights
Amanda Alcodia
Last reviewed: October 2026
Education, not medical, legal or insurance advice.
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