Selecting a CAM Practitioner 

Selecting a health care practitioner is an important decision and can 

be essential to ensuring that you are receiving the best possible care. 

This fact sheet provides information on selecting a practitioner 

whose services are part of complementary and alternative medicine 

(CAM), such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and naturopathy. It also 

suggests sources for additional information. 

Key Points 

	 Talk to your primary health care providers if you are considering 

a CAM therapy. They may be able to answer questions and/or 

refer you to a practitioner. Also, be aware that there are other 

resources for locating a CAM practitioner, such as professional 

organizations for specific practitioner groups. 

	 Gather basic information on the CAM practitioners you are 

considering, such as education, experience, and cost, and 

interview them in person or by telephone. Make your selection 

based on their answers to your questions, and your level of 

comfort during the interview. 

	 Evaluate your practitioner after the initial treatment visit— 

including what you have been told to expect in terms of therapy 

outcomes, time, and costs—and decide if the practitioner is right 

for you. 

	 Tell all of your health care providers about any complementary 

and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of 

what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure 

coordinated and safe care. For tips about talking with your 

health care providers about CAM, see NCCAM’s Time to Talk 

campaign at nccam.nih.gov/timetotalk/. 
 

About CAM 

CAM is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not 

generally considered part of conventional medicine. Conventional medicine is medicine as practiced 

by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by their allied health 

professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses. 

Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and alternative medicine is 

used in place of conventional medicine. Integrative medicine combines conventional and CAM 

treatments for which there is evidence of safety and effectiveness. For more about these 

terms, see the NCCAM fact sheet What Is CAM? 

Time To Talk 

It is always a good idea to discuss any health options you are considering, including CAM 

options, with your trusted health professionals. Before selecting a CAM therapy or practitioner, 

talk with all your health care providers. Tell them about the therapy you are considering and 

ask any questions you may have. They may know about the therapy and be able to advise you 

on its safety, use, and effectiveness, or possible interactions with medications. 

Finding CAM Practitioners 

Several resources are available to help you find CAM practitioners: 

	 Your doctor or other health care provider may be able to give a referral. 

	 A nearby hospital or a medical school may have a list of local CAM practitioners or may be 

able to make a specific recommendation. Some regional medical centers may have CAM 

centers or CAM practitioners on staff. 

	 Professional organizations for CAM therapists often provide referrals to practitioners as 

well as information on therapies, standards of practice and training, and state licensing 

requirements. These organizations can be located by searching the Internet or directories 

in libraries (ask the librarian). One source is the National Library of Medicine’s Directory of 

Health Organizations Online (dirline.nlm.nih.gov). Some professions may be represented by 

more than one organization. 

	 State regulatory agencies or licensing boards for health care professionals may provide 

information regarding practitioners in your area. Your state, county, or city health 

department may also refer you to such agencies or boards. 

Even if a friend recommends a CAM practitioner, or if you have found a practitioner through 

your local Yellow Pages, looking into the resources suggested above can give you confidence 

that you have considered all the best possibilities. 

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Choosing a Practitioner 

As when choosing any health care provider, contact the practitioners you are considering to 

gather some basic information. Although you can do this over the phone, consider asking for a 

brief, in-person consultation (which may or may not involve a charge). Practitioners may also 

have a Web site or brochure. Before you make your contacts, think about what is important to 

you—what you need to know to make your decision. You might ask about: 

	 Education, training, licenses, and certifications. If you have information from a 

professional organization, compare the practitioner’s qualifications with the training and 

licensing standards for that profession. 

	 Areas of specialization, experience treating patients with problems similar to your own, 

and his or her philosophy of care. 

	 Any scientific research studies that support the treatment’s use for your condition. 

	 The number of patients the practitioner sees in a typical day and average time spent with 

each patient. 

	 Treatment costs, including charges per session, charges for cancelled appointments, 

payment options, and participation in your insurance plan (see box below). 

	 Office hours, how far in advance you need to schedule an appointment, and typical waiting 

time in the office. 

	 Office locations—for example, accessibility to public transportation, parking, and elevators. 

	 What to expect during the first visit or assessment. 

After making your contacts, think about how comfortable you felt during your initial 

conversations with the practitioners and their staff, and review the information they provided. 

How do they measure up in terms of what is most important to you? Now, you are ready to 

decide which practitioner will most likely meet your needs. 

Insurance Coverage 

If you have health insurance, it may not cover your CAM therapy. Even if it covers the therapy, 

you may have to pay for part of the cost. Before agreeing to any CAM treatment, ask your 

insurer what percentage of the cost, if any, will be covered. Also find out whether the 

practitioner participates in your insurance plan. The NCCAM fact sheet Paying for CAM 

Treatment has additional information. 

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The First Visit 

The first visit is important. Come prepared to answer questions about your health—past and 


present. Bring a written list of surgeries, injuries, and major illnesses, as well as the 


prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and vitamins and other supplements you 


take. Also come prepared to ask questions, for example: 


 Are there any scientific research studies that show that this therapy may be helpful?
 

 What benefits can I expect from the therapy? 


 What are the risks associated with the therapy?
 

 Do the known benefits outweigh the risks for my disease or condition?
 

 What side effects can be expected?
 

 Will the therapy interfere with any of my daily activities? 


 How long will I need to undergo treatment, or how many office visits will I need? How 


often will my progress or treatment plan be assessed? 

 What are the costs for the recommended treatments? Will I need to buy any equipment 

or supplies? 

 Could the therapy interfere with conventional treatments? 

 Are there any conditions for which this treatment should not be used? 

Make a list of questions before your visit. Bring a notepad to record the answers (some people 

bring a recording device). Consider asking a family member or friend to accompany you, so you 

can compare notes after your visit. 

Evaluating the Practitioner 

After your first visit, ask yourself:
 

 Was the practitioner easy to talk to? Did I feel comfortable?
 

 Was the practitioner willing to answer all my questions? Was I satisfied with the answers? 


 Was the practitioner open to considering how CAM therapy and conventional medicine 


might work together for my benefit? 

 Did the practitioner get to know me and ask me about my health condition? 

 Did the practitioner seem knowledgeable about my specific health condition? 

 Does the recommended treatment seem reasonable to me? 

 Was the practitioner clear about the time and costs associated with treatment? 

Building a relationship with a new practitioner takes time. Nevertheless, if at any time you are 

not satisfied or comfortable, you should discuss your concerns with the practitioner and feel 

free to stop treatment or look for a different practitioner. Before deciding to stop treatment, 

however, ask if doing so is safe. If you do stop treatment, tell your other health care providers 

so they can continue to make fully informed decisions about your care. 

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NCCAM’s Role 

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is the Federal 

Government’s lead agency for scientific research on CAM. NCCAM’s mission is to explore CAM 

healing practices in the context of rigorous science, train CAM researchers, and disseminate 

authoritative information to the public and professionals. 

Although NCCAM does not provide referrals to CAM practitioners, its Web site (nccam.nih.gov) 

offers useful resources for people considering a CAM therapy. The “Health Information” page 

of the NCCAM Web site (nccam.nih.gov/health/) provides access to a variety of fact sheets and 

other resources to help people be informed consumers of CAM services and products. The 

“Clinical Trials” page (nccam.nih.gov/research/clinicaltrials/) has information on NCCAMsupported clinical trials (studies in people) on CAM therapies, including studies that are 

recruiting participants. 

For More Information 

NCCAM Clearinghouse 

The NCCAM Clearinghouse provides information on CAM and NCCAM, including publications 

and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does 

not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners. 

Toll-free in the U.S.: 1-888-644-6226 

TTY (for deaf and hard-of-hearing callers): 1-866-464-3615 

Web site: nccam.nih.gov 

E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov 

National Library of Medicine (NLM) 

NLM is the world’s largest medical library. Services include PubMed®, which contains 

publication information and (in most cases) brief summaries of articles from scientific and 

medical journals. NLM also maintains DIRLINE, a database that contains locations and descriptive 

information about a variety of health organizations, including CAM associations and organizations. 

Web site: www.nlm.nih.gov 

PubMed: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez 

DIRLINE: dirline.nlm.nih.gov 

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Acknowledgments 

NCCAM thanks the following people for their technical expertise and review of the content 

update of this publication: Carlo Calabrese, N.D., M.P.H., National College of Natural Medicine; 

Delia Chiaramonte, M.D., University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine; Rebekah J. 

Christensen, American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine; and William 

Meeker, D.C., M.P.H., President, Palmer College, West Campus. 

This publication is not copyrighted and is in the public domain. 


Duplication is encouraged. 


NCCAM has provided this material for your information. It is not intended to substitute 

for the medical expertise and advice of your primary health care provider. We encourage 

you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider. The 

mention of any product, service, or therapy is not an endorsement by NCCAM. 

National Institutes of Health 



U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

D346 

Revised January 2010 

Updated January 2011