Skip to Content
NCI Formulary
Contact NExT
Show menu
Search this site
Last Updated: 04/12/13

Talking about Complementary and
Alternative Medicine with Health Care
Providers: A Workbook and Tips

fruits and vegetables yoga pose multicolor vitamins

If you are a patient… this workbook is designed to help you talk with your health care provider(s) about your complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use during and after your cancer care. This workbook can be used in its entirety or as individual sheets to best meet your needs and interests.

If you are a health care provider… this workbook contains several documents which can be used to help your patients keep track of their medicines, CAM use, and complementary providers. It is intended to help you talk with your patients about their goals, beliefs, symptom management, and use of CAM therapies during and after cancer care.

Downloads

Workbook cover image

Download the entire workbook:

This 15 page workbook provides a one-stop resource for all your CAM conversation and tracking needs.

Download each individual sheet:

Instructions for use individual page

Instructions for Use

Understanding CAM individual sheet

Understand the basics about complementary and alternative medince use.

Why CAM individual sheet

Why I want to use CAM

The Why I want to use CAM page encourages you to think about why you are considering using CAM therapies and what specific symptoms you wish to relieve.

Tips for talking with your provider about CAM use

Tips for talking with your provider about CAM use

Tips for talking with your provider about CAM use gives you quick and easy talking points for your next office visit.

Monthly cam use individual sheets

My monthly CAM use

My monthly CAM use helps you keep track of your CAM use over a month to get a sense of how the CAM therapies you’ve tried have helped manage your cancer-related symptoms.

medicine list individual sheet

My complete medicine list

My complete medicine list allows you to organize in one place all of the medicines you are taking, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter drugs, herbs, dietary supplements, and vitamins.

Health care team individual sheets

Members of my health care team

Members of my health care team provides a place to organize the contact information for everyone involved in your care, including conventional and complementary therapy providers.

Glossary individual sheets

Glossary

Glossary of common medical and complementary and alternative medicine terms.

CAM Resources individual sheets

CAM resources

Comprehensive list of CAM resources provided through the federal government

If you have any comments or questions you’d like to share with OCCAM about this workbook, please contact us at ncioccam1-r@mail.nih.gov