Table 2

Lessons learned and future recommendations. Summary of general lessons learned and future recommendations from developing and implementing a model of integrative medicine (IM) in Swedish primary care.

General lessons learned

Future recommendations

It was possible to develop a model for IM adapted to Swedish primary care despite various identified barriers.

Funding and resource allocation beforehand important to improve provider participation and planning.

Both a centralised and a decentralised clinic possible for delivering IM in primary care, the latter requiring less primary care unit resources.

Health economic evaluation of IM management vs. treatment as usual needed to motivate management decision.

Time and funding are essential to enable staff commitment, routines and resources as within normal primary care practice.

Availability of general practitioners' specialist training in IM important.

Need for a general practitioner with complementary therapy interest, knowledge and/or experience to coordinate the IM provider group.

Common IM documentation should reflect multi-modular management, and preferably be computer-based.

IM case management slightly more time consuming, but improved case conference experience contributed to more efficient case management.

Combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods useful.

Continuing seminars and discussions can improve understanding, knowledge, motivation and recognition between stakeholders and different medical models. Together with a shared knowledge of basic biomedicine this facilitate interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration.

Clinical practice and communication were smooth within the IM group but written documentation procedures were more difficult to standardise.

Sundberg et al. BMC Health Services Research 2007 7:107   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-7-107