"Integrative Medicine and Health’ 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, preventive, health-promoting, or lifestyle approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines, to achieve optimal health and healing, emphasizing the art and science of healing. It is based on a social and democratic as well as natural and healthy environment."

(Esch, Tobias & Brinkhaus, Benno. (2020). Neue Definitionen der Integrativen Medizin: Alter Wein in neuen Schläuchen?. Complementary Medicine Research. 27. 67-69. 10.1159/000506224.)

Around 80 % of all cancer patients would like to receive treatments based on integrative medicine or use such treatments alongside conventional treatment. Not all of the treatments used for this purpose have been scientifically evaluated and are therefore not evidence-based. Our aim is to establish an integrative approach to medicine at Ulm University Hospital that meets patients’ desire for holistic care in an evidence-based and scientifically supported manner.

It is a matter of great importance to us at the University Hospital to methodically support and advance the expertise in traditional medicine available in the region by developing quality-assured integrative medical treatment recommendations, and to offer these to patients in addition to their conventional therapy.

Our primary focus is on patients’ values and needs. These are combined with the treatment decisions already made (for patients with cancer, for example, the tumour board decision) and with the expertise in complementary medicine that has developed over time. This results in a patient-centred therapeutic pathway that is in harmony with conventional treatment and takes into account all available, evidence-based treatment options.