What is Integrative Medicine?
The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine developed and adopted the definition of integrative medicine during 2004 and subsequently edited the definition during 2009.
Definition of Integrative Medicine
Integrative Medicine is the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing.
The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine membership includes 46 highly esteemed academic medical centers. The organization is supported by membership dues and grants from philanthropic partners including the Bravewell Collaborative.
The mission of the Consortium is to advance the principles and practices of integrative healthcare within academic institutions. The Consortium provides its institutional membership with a community of support for their academic missions and a collective voice for influencing change.
Editor's note, 2026: The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine has since been renamed the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health, and its membership has grown well beyond the number cited above.
What Integrative Medicine Means for Patients
In practice, integrative medicine puts the patient, rather than a single profession or treatment, at the center of care. For someone with a common problem such as back pain, that can mean:
- A clinician who takes time to understand your goals, daily life and concerns, not just your symptoms
- Treatment choices guided by research evidence and by what matters to you
- Use of both conventional care and well-supported complementary approaches, such as manual therapy, exercise, acupuncture or mind-body practices, when appropriate
- Communication between the professionals involved, so care is coordinated rather than fragmented
- An emphasis on self-care, prevention and healthy habits
Where Chiropractic Care Fits
Chiropractic physicians can contribute to integrative teams by evaluating and managing neuromusculoskeletal conditions, providing manual therapy and exercise, and referring patients to medical colleagues when warning signs appear. Examples on this site include chiropractic care in the Veterans Health Administration and in military medicine. For practical guidance, see our comparison of a chiropractor vs. physical therapist and our guide to back pain red flags, which explains when medical care should come first.
Section added September 2026 by the Ask Dr. Lehman editorial team.