Integrative care and bridge building among health care providers in Norway and Denmark.

Background: Patients in Norway and Demmark with the medical diagnoses of cancer, multiple sclerosis (MS), and HIV/AIDS use complementary and alternative treatment (CAT) in growing numbers, most often in addition to receiving conventional treatment. At the same time, the interest and demand from patients for more holistic-oriented care is strongly increasing. Following this, there is a desire and need for better communication and cooperation among the conventional medical establishment, CAT practitioners, and patients. This development raises new demands on research designs to incorporate complexity and diversity concerning the intervention, effect mechanisms, and outcomes. Discussion: This article outlines different models used to combine conventional, complementary, and alternative treatment (CCAT), describing various degrees of integration among therapies. The authors are closely involved in three current and planned research projects in Norway and Denmark focusing on cancer, MS, and HIV/AIDS. These res...