Alternative clinic gets national notice -
Natural Medicine Clinic's approach brings CNN to South County

By Katherine Hedland

South County Journal

11/17/96

Health providers around the country are watching closely what happens at the Natural Medicine Clinic in Kent, the nation's fire such practice by public funding.

Soon TV viewers from the world will get to see.

With patients in the waiting room and people involved in the project crowding hallway a CNN reporter and cameraman made their way around the clinic Friday morning to film a segment

"This is the first time any (TV reporters) have come out to the site," said Nancy Weaver, the natural medicine coordinator for the King County Council. "They were doing all the stories before it opened."

The idea has received other national coverage but the CNN segment will be the first time the inside of the exam room will be seen by an international audience.

CNN producer Chris Sharp said the innovative clinic makes a story that will appeal to a wide audience that's and more interested in health care. The feature story aired November 21, 1996 on CNN.

"The combination of traditional and nontraditional medicine-- that's a very different model," said Sharp, who is based in Seattle.

Supporters of the clinic, which opened at its temporary location at North Central Avenue and South 259th Street earlier this month, were grateful for the exposure.

"It gives us an opportunity to show people outside our community that this is a doable, good thing," said Tom

Trompeter, associate director for Community Health Centers of King County.

The clinic, is a joint project of King County, Community Health Centers of King County and Bastyr University which offers alternative (treatment such as acupuncture, massage therapy and herbal medicine in conjunction with traditional medicine. It's the first time public money hag been used to make such services available to low income patients.

" One of the main reasons for doing a project like this is to educate people and let them know there are other options our there," said Merrily Manthey, the Kent consultant who was a leader in creating the clinic. "Many of the natural treatments are better, cost less and don't have side effects."

"And they're becoming more common and widely accepted." "The whole country is watching this project," said Terri Silver, public relations coordinator for Bastyr University, the Bothell institute providing, training in natural medicine." 'Natural medicine is coming more into the mainstream."

King County Councilman Kent Pullen said he doubts interest will fade. "We want to learn enough so that will be the seed to encourage other communities to do the same, Pullen said. "This is the start of a revolution that's going to sweep the country."

 

Contact Merrily Manthey merrily@msn.com Consultant