Bastyr Center for Natural Health

Bastyr Center for Natural Health is the teaching clinic of Bastyr University and is located in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood. The clinic offers health care services in naturopathic medicine, nutritional counseling, acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, counseling, homeopathy, and physical medicine.

Bastyr Center for Natural Health is the largest natural health care clinic in the Pacific Northwest, with 43 examination rooms and approximately 35,000 patient visits annually.[1]

History

The clinic opened in 1980 as the John Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine Clinic. In 1994 it was renamed the Bastyr University Natural Health Clinic, and in 2000 it became Bastyr Center for Natural Health. In 2006, the clinic relocated to its current location at 3670 Stone Way North,[2] which was renovated using LEED-certified, sustainable materials and practices.[3] The clinic has two natural product dispensaries onsite: the Bastyr Dispensary that carries natural remedies, dietary supplements and gifts; and a Chinese herbal medicine dispensary that carries an assortment of loose and patented Chinese herbs sold by prescription only.

Treatment philosophy

The clinic uses a "Team Care" approach in which patients are seen by a licensed practitioner and two or three Bastyr University student clinicians in their third or fourth year of graduate studies. Patients may also see a private practitioner individually in "Practitioner Care" or schedule private appointments with naturopathic or acupuncture and Oriental medicine residents in "Resident Care".

Naturopathic doctors (NDs) are licensed as primary care physicians in Washington state.[4] Clinic practitioners are trained in integrative care, which combines traditional knowledge with current medical research on health and human systems.[5] They focus on helping patients become partners in their own health care, teaching them to actively make decisions regarding their care. Initial appointments typically last from one to one-and-a-half hours and included a detailed interview about a patient's health history along with a check of vital signs.[6]

Natural health care is most commonly used for the prevention of, and relief from, chronic and degenerative health conditions. Commonly treated conditions at the clinic include chronic pain, fatigue, depression, colds and the flu, menopausal symptoms, stress-related conditions, allergies and asthma, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, digestive problems, ulcers and HIV/AIDS. Bastyr Center practitioners also coordinate with patients' conventional providers, communication on referrals, lab results, prescriptions, and other patient health issues.

Specialty services

The clinic has special services focused on immune wellness care for people with HIV/AIDS, diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, ADHD, pediatrics, and geriatrics. It also provides special services for pain management, biofeedback and women's health.

Women's health

The naturopathic doctors on the Women’s Wellness Care team serve as primary care providers for many Bastyr Center patients.[7] These practitioners are trained to:

Cancer care

In addition to the services offered at the clinic, the Bastyr Integrative Oncology Research Center (BIORC) provides integrative cancer care at the Bastyr University campus in Kenmore, Washington. The center offers research participants treatments such as acupuncture, nutritional guidance, herbal remedies and counseling, all in collaboration with local conventional oncologists.

BIORC is currently working with the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center on studies to evaluate the outcomes of integrative cancer care.[8]

Community health

Bastyr Center offers a sliding income-based fee structure to make health care services available to all members of the Seattle-area community.[9] This program reflects the belief of its namesake, John Bastyr, who believed it was a physician's responsibility to serve patients regardless of their ability to pay.[10] Special rates include:

The clinical also offers promotional rates for children's visits each summer and for college students each fall.

External sites

Bastyr Center operates community clinic shifts at sites throughout the Seattle area, providing free care as part of its mission of making health care available to all.

Naturopathic Medicine External Sites

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine External Sites

Lecture series

The clinic offers a free lecture series every spring and fall. The “Living Naturally” series presents natural health topics such as "Heart-Healthy Foods" and "Acupuncture for Fertility". Lectures are given by clinical faculty and are open to the public.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Perry, Nick (22 December 2003) "Bastyr U. Carves Niche in Alternative Health Care," Seattle Times
  2. ↑ Langston, Jennifer (21 April 2006) "200 More Apartments in Seattle Going Condo," Seattle Post-Intelligencer
  3. ↑ Bothell-Kenmore Reporter (28 May 2008) "Bastyr University clinic gets LEED certified"
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ "Naturopathic Medicine | Bastyr Center for Natural Health | Seattle Clinic". Bastyrcenter.org. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  6. ↑ "FAQs | Bastyr Center for Natural Health | Seattle Clinic". Bastyrcenter.org. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Women’s Wellness Care | Healthcare Services | Bastyr Center for Natural Health". Bastyrcenter.org. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  8. ↑ "Bastyr Integrative Cancer Research Center (BIORC) | Bastyr University". Bastyr.edu. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  9. ↑ "Special Rates | Patient Care | Bastyr Center for Natural Health". Bastyrcenter.org. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  10. ↑ "History & Heritage | Bastyr University". Bastyr.edu. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  11. ↑ "News and Events | Bastyr Center for Natural Health". Bastyrcenter.org. Retrieved 2012-06-09.

External links