In 2008, the Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency successfully introduced a novel model of Integrative Medicine delivery into our existing FQHC teaching clinic. This clinic provides underserved patients access to a new model of patient-centered Family Medicine, allowing ample time to discover personal barriers to health and therefore move toward cooperative lifestyle changes. Foundational practices – diet, exercise, stress reduction/mental health, sleep hygiene, habits, interpersonal relationships, spirituality – have consistently demonstrated the greatest contribution to overall wellness and improved mortality. We therefore focus our efforts on affecting change in these areas before recommending costly supplements and lab tests. This approach is relatively unique in the field of Integrative Medicine and is ideal for our financially-limited population, but it is equally applicable to all patient populations.

The model of our teaching clinic is unique in that Resident Physicians refer and see their own continuity panel patients with the Integrative Medicine Fellow/Attending. The 90-minute intake visit not only allows the resident to develop skills of Integrative Medicine Interviewing, but also deepens the doctor-patient relationship, which is paramount to patient-centered care and the Personal Medical Home.

The clinic was a cornerstone in the development of our Integrative Medicine Fellowship, which began in 2008. We are the second community-based Underserved Integrative Medicine Fellowship in the U.S.

We are currently expanding our group visits and osteopathy clinics as well as developing an acupuncture clinic. These projects are intended to support people deepening the integration of wellness practices into their daily routine while providing much needed integrative treatment options.