Integrative Medicine
Lourdes Health System is committed to bringing patients the best in
allopathic (conventional) and complementary medicine. This combination of
services is called "integrative medicine," which has been a tradition at
Lourdes since 1979, when we opened the Lourdes Wellness Center in
Collingswood. This was something that few, if any, health facilities offered
at the time, and therefore, Lourdes was well ahead of its peers in the
healthcare field in recognizing the importance of preventive health and the
benefits of non-traditional forms of therapy.
Ask the Integrative MD!
Integrative Medicine seeks to combine the best ideas and practices of Mainstream and Alternative Medicine. Use our form to ask questions of Integrative M.D., Ronald Ciccone.What is Integrative Medicine?
Integrative Medicine blends mainstream medicine with a variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities, such as intravenous (IV) and oral supplementation, nutrition, acupuncture, energy work and other forms of bodywork.
The Integrative approach is holistic. It takes into account a broad view of the whole person—body, mind & spirit. Integrative Medicine treats the underlying imbalances that cause disease symptoms. Most importantly, the goal of an integrative approach is to support the body's own innate healing abilities, while respecting a person's biochemical individuality.
Outpatient and Inpatient Integrative Care
The Lourdes Wellness Center offers integrative family medicine, in which a medical doctor, Ronald P. Ciccone, M.D., provides a blend of traditional and complementary medicine. Integrative Family Medicine encourages a healthy lifestyle, supported by complementary therapies, natural supplements, nutritional and vitamin support, detoxification and other therapies that encourage a healthy immune system.
Integrative Medicine at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center is offered in the form of holistic nursing care, which provides reflexology, guided imagery, massage and therapeutic touch to inpatients. Nurses at the hospital also offer the nationally recognized program developed by Peggy Huddleston, "Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster," to patients about to undergo surgery. Integrative medicine has been shown to improve outcomes for patients—decreasing the length of stay and reducing postoperative pain.
Lourdes Wellness Center
From its inception, the Lourdes Wellness Center has been combining mainstream medicine, alternative therapies and spirituality to enhance a healthy lifestyle. The Center offers acupuncture, massage, yoga classes, health education programs and many community-based services. The Center averages more than 30,000 visits annually.
The Wellness Center is also home of the Lourdes Institute of Wholistic Studies, which offers degree programs in massage therapy as well as certificate programs in yoga.
The Lourdes Wellness Center recently expanded to Burlington County, with the Lourdes Integrative Wellness Center, located in Columbus, NJ.
- For more information about the Lourdes Wellness Center, call 856-869-3125 or visit www.lourdeswellnesscenter.org
- For information about Integrative Family Medicine and Dr. Ciccone, call 856-869-3126.
- For information about the Lourdes Institute of Wholistic Studies, call 856-869-3125.
- For information about the "Prepare for Surgery Program," call 1-888-LOURDES.
See these summaries of programs and presentations on stress and integrative-medicine by Lourdes experts:
- Good Counsel & Alternative Therapies For Periods of High Patient Stress
- For Stress and Other Complex, Multi-faceted conditions: Going Beyond Integrative Care to "Functional Medicine"
- Moderating Stress in Inpatients: Unique "Comfort Cart" Program Puts Easy, Complementary Therapies in Hands of Nurses
- Knowing When It's Stress—Where Stress Comes From and How to Get a Handle on It
- Acupuncture in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Patient Care
