Integrative Medicine: A Paradigm Shift in Clinical Practice

Various approaches to the care of patients coexist in modern society, such as original traditional medicine (including traditional Chinese medicine – TCM), modern traditional medicine, Western medicine, and integrative medicine. Given advances in medical science and clinical practice in the 21st century, there is a need for better integration of these approaches. The purpose of this paper is to summarize existing approaches focusing on original traditional medicine, modern traditional medicine, and Western medicine, and to propose a more synthesized perspective that embraces various approaches under the concept of integrated medicine.