Choosing a complementary healthcare practitioner

Although you may be able to treat yourself with some complementary therapies, others are provided by complementary healthcare practitioners. It's important to find a qualified practitioner that you trust.

To find a complementary healthcare practitioner you can:

Talk to your doctor or another member of your healthcare team.
Check the resources at your local cancer centre.
Go to professional groups. Most complementary health practitioners belong to local, provincial, territorial or national associations, and you will be able to find one that has the right training, skills and credentials.
Ask your family and friends. Ask who they see, what’s involved in the treatment, what the practitioner is like, how they have addressed their concerns, and so on.

Trust your instincts

If you’re not comfortable with the person or with the information they are giving you, try someone else. Like with all your healthcare providers, having a good relationship is very important.

Tips for choosing a complementary healthcare practitioner

When choosing a practitioner, make sure they know you have cancer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Remember to:

Ask about the practitioner’s training and qualifications. Have they treated other people with cancer? How many and what types of cancer?
Find out if the clinic, facility or practitioner providing the therapy is linked with a recognized cancer centre, cancer agency, hospital or university.
Ask if the practitioner is willing to work with your cancer doctor either by sharing patient files or in other ways.
Make sure the practitioner gives you information in a way that you can easily understand. They should tell you what is involved and the risks and benefits of each therapy.
Take the detailed description of the therapy and talk about it with your doctor.

Watch out for:

Practitioners or practices that make claims of being able to “cure” cancer or treat your cancer completely without risk.
Salespeople in health food stores that are not trained practitioners. It’s best to consult your healthcare providers about the risks and benefits of any therapies a salesperson suggests.

You need to understand your complementary health practitioner’s view of conventional medicine. This will help you feel comfortable about keeping open lines of communication between everyone taking part in your healthcare.

Last modified on: 13 September 2011