Table 2

Key themes for making an integrative medical program work

1) Start small, stay flexible, make as few financial commitments as possible

2) Involve the best (clinical) team members possible (don't compromise, listen to instinct)

3) Keep research focused, but clinic broad

4) Recruit from within where possible (it is expensive to bring people in)

5) Develop benchmarks to evaluate progress

6) Track utilization (who calls, who comes) – useful for reports to funding partners and for grant proposals

7) Hire the team before opening clinic doors

8) Streamline administration

9) Electronic medical records – can save money in long run

10) Recommend good technology/infrastructure that is scalable, with ideally the same firewall as the university or hospital (same IS support, maintenance, etc.)

11) Maximize revenue generating space

Vohra et al. BMC Health Services Research 2005 5:78   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-5-78