A new study from University Hospitals Conner Hall Health reports that an insurance-supported integrative oncology program led to clinically meaningful improvements in cancer-related symptoms such as pain, stress, anxiety, depression, nausea, and fatigue. The results of this study highlight a scalable model that has the potential to provide future integrative therapies within routine oncology care. The results of this study were recently JCO Oncology Practice.
The study, titled “Implementation and Patient-Reported Outcomes of an Insurance-Supported Integrative Oncology Symptom Management Program,” evaluated the first 16 months of the Conner Hall Health Integrative Oncology (CWHIO) Symptom Management Clinic. The clinic provided 1,924 integrative oncology treatments to 291 patients between June 2023 and September 2024 using a hybrid model that combines both billed physician visits and massage visits with low-cost group acupuncture sessions and additional philanthropic support for non-billable services.
Integrative oncology bridges the best of conventional cancer treatments with evidence-based supportive treatments such as acupuncture. This program demonstrates how acupuncture, when incorporated into comprehensive cancer treatment, can help address symptom burden and improve quality of life. ”
Jacob Wolf, ND, LAc, Dipl. OM, Naturopathic Physician, Certified Acupuncturist, Conner Hall Health University
Dr. Wolf is currently the medical director of acupuncture at Conner University’s College of Whole Health and is board certified in acupuncture, Asian herbal medicine, and lifestyle medicine.
This study demonstrated significant clinical benefits for patients, with a single treatment leading to significant reductions in moderate to severe symptoms including pain (-2.08), stress (-2.70), anxiety (-2.28), depression (-2.54), nausea (-3.61), and fatigue (-1.42). Furthermore, patient satisfaction was very high throughout the program, with 87.1% strongly agreeing that they were satisfied with the service, 85.5% strongly agreeing that they would refer others, and 82.3% strongly agreeing that the service supported effective symptom management. Throughout, demand for care has been on the rise. With the introduction of group acupuncture and individual Reiki, weekly visitor numbers frequently exceed 40 and eventually reach 57 per week.
The CWHIO clinic is led by integrative oncologists and is embedded within the Seedman Cancer Center network of academic hospitals. A treatment plan that aligns with American Society of Clinical Oncology and National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for integrative therapies such as acupuncture and massage for pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue.
“A whole health approach to cancer care that integrates evidence-based lifestyle and supportive care is well supported by the scientific literature. This study highlights strong patient interest in these services, while also highlighting persistent system-level barriers that continue to limit access,” said Christy Arts, MD, MS, FACLM, CCMS, vice president of Whole Health and the Sarah H. Connor Chair in Integrative Medicine at Connor College.
This hybrid clinic model addresses barriers to access to integrative oncology, such as limited insurance reimbursement. While your initial doctor’s visit and massage therapy will be billed to your insurance, group acupuncture treatments are offered at a low out-of-pocket cost of $36.85, which is below the national average. Most integrative oncology programs in the United States rely heavily on copayments, creating many disparities for patients. The CWHIO model aims to reduce financial barriers for patients and expand coverage across hospital systems by incorporating integrated services into oncology workflows and prioritizing billable treatments.
This research was supported by the Elizabeth Severance Prentice Foundation.
sauce:
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Reference magazines:
Srivastava, M. Others. (2026). Implementation and patient-reported outcomes of an insurance-supported integrative oncology symptom management program. JCO Oncology Clinic. DOI: 10.1200/OP-26-00274. https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/OP-26-00274
