Naturopathic Medicine Lowers Health Care Costs By Emphasizing Prevention and Well-Being

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Naturopathic doctors are trained to focus on prevention and well-being. Individually or as part of primary care teams, they can play a central role in lowering health care costs while improving outcomes. This is according to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), which today released a new FAQ for consumers on ways naturopathic medicine lowers health care costs, in partnership with the Institute for Natural Medicine (INM).

The FAQ describes how licensed naturopathic doctors treat each person holistically, emphasizing self-healing processes, and follow a unique Therapeutic Order to determine how therapies should be applied to provide the greatest benefit with the least potential for harm. 

The FAQ also presents eight ways that naturopathic medicine lowers health care costs:

1. Address the root causes of illnesses, rather than just their symptoms

2. Offer less expensive diagnosis and treatments

3. Reduce the need for expensive surgical procedures, when appropriate

4. Decrease costs associated with adverse reactions to prescription drugs

5. Reduce the incidence of illness and fatalities while patients are in hospitals

6. Lower malpractice rates, resulting in reduced patient costs

7. Offer disease prevention

8. Reduce insurance costs

"The cost of health care in the United States is rising at more than double the current rate of inflation, yet Americans are sicker than ever," said Michelle Simon, PhD, ND and Chair of the INM Board of Directors. "To reverse these trends, health care must evolve to focus on 'wellness' in addition to 'sickness.' This is a basic tenant of naturopathic medicine—at the heart of the training and education of licensed naturopathic doctors."

The complete FAQ, "How does naturopathic medicine lower health care costs?" can be found here.

About the Institute for Natural Medicine
The Institute for Natural Medicine (INM) is a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides public education about naturopathic medicine and increases consumer access to naturopathic doctors. As a close partner to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the INM strives to increase consumer and physician choice in safe, effective healthcare that improves patient outcomes and lowers costs. For more information visit www.naturemed.org or call 855-799-4490.

About the AANP
The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians is the professional association that represents licensed naturopathic physicians. The AANP strives to make naturopathic medicine available to every American, and to increase recognition of naturopathic physicians as the identified authorities on natural medicine. Learn more at www.naturopathic.org.

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SOURCE Institute for Natural Medicine

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