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IMCJ: When you have those people who suffer from various lifestyle factors. Working with patients to help them use
chronic health issues, are you finding that maybe right now these specific tools, that is where the opportunity is right
they’re avoiding maybe regular doctor’s appointments now. From a naturopathic perspective, there doesn’t have
because they are afraid to go to a clinic, because they don’t to be a physical exam in order to use the different kinds of
want to become infected with COVID-19 and be exposed to lifestyle tools, as well as the nutraceutical and botanical
other patients. tools to help the individual to be able to optimize lifestyle,
and minimize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Dr Hanaway: Exactly. While we see that visits are down, Chiropractors are more hands-on in the nature of
overall disease burden is not down. Rather, overall what they do, but many chiropractors have an important
engagement with the healthcare system is down. We know part of their practice to use nutrition and lifestyle to
that many clinicians within the integrative medicine/ support their patients. They can do that virtually as well.
functional medicine arena do not use insurance. Many I’m finding it interesting to do virtual physical exams, to
practitioners use a fee for service practice model, but assess physical status and work with home stretches. I think
peoples’ finances are that we’re going to
getting tighter learn (while not a
because they’re not substitute for one-
working. So, there’s a on-one in-person
monetary aspect and care), to meet with
a fear aspect to this each other and
decline in connect with each
engagement with other virtually. I feel
practitioners. What that telehealth will be
this means to me is an important adjunct
that we have to for all healthcare in
become better at the future. We need
meeting people to learn how to do it
where their concerns effectively. We must
are, to help them, to engage patients
guide them along the where they’re at and
path of healing. For also determine what
example, we see that other resources will
diabetic patients, help support them.
because they’ve been We can team-up with
hearing on the news nutritionists and
that they’re at higher coaches to help our
risk for developing patients, to be in
COVID-19, are more their kitchens
motivated to take virtually and help
care of themselves in them cook. We can
order to prevent a go to the grocery
serious COVID-19 infection. store with them, virtually. We see the emergence of
How do we support our patients? We need to help opportunities, not just problems.
people understand that their food choices, their sleep
behaviors and the ways in which they deal with stress are IMCJ: How would you describe an in-clinic appointment
important drivers of risk for developing COVID-19. We versus a tele-health appointment?
can help them, motivate them and engage them to change
their lifestyle, so that it decreases their risk. Dr Hanaway: In my clinical practice, we arrange our
appointments based on what we need during that
IMCJ: I understand tele-health working from an MD engagement time. We sit face-to-face and talk to each
perspective, but how do you get the DCs involved and the other through a HIPAA-compliant Google MEET video
NDs, who are typically are more hands-on type of app. I find it really fascinating to see someone’s home. For
practitioners? example, the patient I just “saw” this morning was in his
kitchen—I can see his kitchen, and I ask him to “Show me
Dr Hanaway: Well, it’s a great question. I see that many of your refrigerator.” He initially balked, and then he said,
my naturopathic and chiropractic colleagues have “Okay.” While he had told me what he’s eating, I can now
embraced the importance of nutrition and modifiable see what’s in his refrigerator and I comment, “There are

Hanaway—Viewpoints Integrative Medicine • Vol. 19, No. S1 • Epub Ahead of Print 65