Question:
If any alternative health practitioners in the Central New York(Syracuse and surrounding counties) are interested in thepossibility of a telephone referral center to assist people inlocating appropriate alternative health care providers, I am an RN in the process of obtaining Holistic Nursingcertification from the American Holistic Nurses Association and aminterested in initiating and coordinating such a referral serviceso that people can more easily locate appropriate practitioners fortheir individual situations. My idea is to develop a database ofpractitioners in the area according to type of practice, specificservices offered, geographic location, cost, insurancereimbursement, etc. and also a referral network from allopathicphysicians interested in integrating alternative therapies withtheir treatment plans. I, or another RN, would conduct a telephoneassessment according to a yet-to-be developed format and refer theperson to practitioners appropriate to the situation and within areasonable geographic area for the caller.

Answer: I am sure that being a member of the American Holistic Nursing Assoc.you have retrieved the mailing list of the AHMA members for NY. Alsoanother group that might be helpful for referral center is ACAM,American College for the Advancement of Medicine.