Written by Ariel Dreher
Spokesman – Review
Washington was one of the first states to regulate naturopathic physicians, and the law still requires providers to attend an accredited four-year graduate program before obtaining licensure .
This is an unusually strict approach for a health care industry that is loosely regulated in many states.
Naturopathic medicine is not licensed or regulated in every state, and there is no nationally standardized credentialing system.
They are considered complementary or alternative by the National Institutes of Health, depending on how a person uses them.
That leaves it up to the states to decide how to issue credentials and licenses. In Washington, naturopathic physicians can practice medicine along similar lines to primary care physicians. They can perform regular physical examinations, order blood tests, stitch up small wounds, and prescribe non-controlled medications such as antibiotics, antivirals, insulin, birth control pills, and antidepressants. .
In Washington, naturopathic doctors can prescribe testosterone and codeine, but not controlled substances.
Angela Ross, a naturopathic doctor and executive director of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians, says naturopathic doctors should consider diet, exercise, supplements and herbs, as appropriate, before recommending medications as the only or initial treatment. He said he would consider other health options, such as changing the formulation. Options for patients.
The focus of naturopathic medicine, and what sets it apart from traditional medicine, is the integration of more traditional treatments with botanical medicines, from herbs to supplements, used to treat common illnesses.
One of the main differences between training for a medical doctor and a naturopathic doctor is the residency requirements after medical school.
All doctors in the United States must attend a four-year medical school, pass certain exams, and be selected for a residency that lasts three to seven years. There, you will receive training under doctors and sometimes learn specialized fields. Only after that period of residency can you obtain a license to practice medicine in the state or become certified in your specialty.
However, naturopathic doctors are almost always unable to participate in training programs.
“Residencies in traditional areas are funded by Medicare, which is a federal program. And because naturopathic medicine is not regulated at the federal level, only regulated at the state level, we are not eligible to work in the Medicare program,” Ross said. .
Physicians and doctors of osteopathic medicine have a much broader scope of practice under Washington state law, allowing them to prescribe more medications than naturopathic doctors.
Preventive medicine and overall health are at the heart of naturopathic medicine.
“The first guiding principle is to remove barriers to care and establish optimal health, which is prevention,” Professor Ross said.
Not all states have regulations or licenses in place for naturopathic medicine, and in states without regulations, public safety is at risk if someone can claim to be a naturopathic doctor and treat patients. says Ross. There are 22 states that have regulations and licensing requirements for naturopathic doctors. Idaho established a state licensing process for naturopathic doctors in 2020.
During the four years of postgraduate training required in Washington to become naturopathic doctors, students learn how herbs and plant-based medicines interact with pharmaceuticals, which they often do in primary care settings. Professor Ross said this was an important skill for many naturopaths in private practice.
In Washington state, some private health insurance companies cover naturopathic medicine, and in 2013 licensed naturopathic doctors were able to register to accept Medicaid patients.
Technically, naturopathic doctors are required under state law to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but there is no unanimous debate regarding vaccinations for the entire field of health care providers. Far from it.
The state association was founded in 1935, but has never taken an official position on vaccinations.
“This is a very heated issue within our community, rightly or wrongly or indifferently,” Ross said.
Although it’s complicated, the association has signed on to the Department of Health’s initiative to encourage health care providers to ask patients about their vaccination status and provide resources if more information is needed.
Arielle Dreher’s reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded primarily by the Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund, with additional support from Report for America and members of the Spokane community. Dreher, who grew up in the Tri-Cities, is a former freelancer for the Journal of Business in the Tri-Cities area.
