Patient and Public Education
At Weill Cornell Medical College and its new Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CCIM), health care education is a vital part of the experience of receiving care. In accordance with that priority, the Center will develop, implement and evaluate public educational programs that incorporate complementary and integrative therapies as part of the treatment and management of chronic disease. Specifically, the Center will seek to carry out these basic objectives:
- To assess the needs of patients and the public for information about complementary and integrative medicine
- To develop patient and public education programs to address these needs
- To disseminate to the public the knowledge gained from our research activities
Improving Patient Health Through Education
Patient education can be a powerful tool in preventing and treating major illness, and investigators at the Center have an outstanding track record in designing and implementing projects that provide patients with new strategies to improve their outcomes and quality of life. With public education, Center faculty have developed powerful programs to improve health prevention through public education. Public education efforts and outreach programs in communities across the city have led to state-wide prevention and education campaigns.
Health Education Delivery
Through websites, webcasts, newsletters, and other venues, the Center will pursue its goal of improving the availability and quality of health information to the public. Initially a new website devoted to the bio-organic products will be established, with information available in various languages including English, Spanish, and other languages. If complementary techniques are identified that may cause harm, then a community-based approach will be employed to warn and educate likely users.
In addition, the Center will conduct educational series, seminars, health fairs and other events to improve community knowledge and understanding of complementary and alternative medicine. A new course entitled, "Truth and Consequences of Herbal Medicines" will be developed for the general public, along with programs on meditation, yoga, and other complementary practices.
To expand its audience across New York City, the Center will have a strong presence at community events sponsored by other organizations, including health fairs, screening programs, and community forums.
A Speakers Bureau will be formed that can be called on by the community for presentations on a variety of subjects. The Center will coordinate the development of educational materials using a variety of media such as fact sheets, videos, and tapes. New research findings will be publicized through releases to the electronic and other media.
