Perceptions of person-centred care amongst individuals with chronic conditions who consult complementary medicine practitioners.

Objectives: Chronic conditions require continuous, multi-factorial care - such as person-centred care - to address patients' individual health needs and quality of life. Many patients with chronic conditions seek additional care outside mainstream medicine, often consulting complementary medicine (CM) practitioners. This study examines person-centred care experienced by patients with chronic conditions consulting CM practitioners.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: CM clinics around Australia, conducted November 2018 to March 2019.

Participants: Patients with chronic conditions (n = 153) consulting osteopaths (n = 39), naturopaths (n = 33), massage therapists (n = 29), chiropractors (n = 28) and acupuncturists (n = 24).

Main Outcome Measures: Patient-Centred Care Scale, Perceived Provider Support Scale, Empowerment Scale, and Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care measure.

Results: Patient perceptions of person-centred care were consistently high during consultation with CM practitioners (Patient-centred Care scale mean range 4.22-4.70; Perceived Provider Support scale mean range 4.39-4.69; Empowerment scale mean range 2.20-2.50; Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care mean summary 3.33). Ratings of person-centred care were higher for consultations with CM practitioners than for medical doctors. Patients of naturopaths reported the highest means for perceived person-centred care. Variation in participant ratings for different items between professions indicate nuance in consultation experiences across different CM professions.

Conclusions: Person-centred care appears characteristic of CM consultation, which may reflect holistic philosophies. Variations in patient experiences suggest diverse practices across CM professions. CM practitioners may present a resource of person-centred care for addressing unmet needs of individuals with chronic conditions, and reducing the health burden associated with rising rates of chronic conditions.