Thorne, IHR Create New Integrative Health Venture

SANDPOINT, ID and DANA POINT, CAThorne Research, a nutritional supplement developer and manufacturer, and Integrative Health Resources (IHR), a provider of medical information and natural therapeutic products, have jointly created Health Elements, a comprehensive web-based service designed to provide integrative health support and information to health care providers and patients.

According to Thorne and IHR, Health Elements is the first resource to offer comprehensive programs and services in integrative care, a fusion of modalities encompassing the complete management of a patient through diet, exercise, nutrition, nutritional supplementation, pharmaceutical and biological products, disease management and wellness counseling. The jointly created new company will offer a broad range of medical information, products and practice support services that are available in person and via a new online portal. Clinicians can access the tools they need to build or expand their integrative patient care capabilities and practices, as well as find the latest scientific research and news about options in integrative disease management and wellness programs to support treatment decisions. In addition, Health Elements will offer practice management, clinician training and wellness programs, combined with a comprehensive catalog of dietary supplements and other health related products, to help medical practices meet the growing demand for natural health and wellness as a part of an integrative approach to healthcare.  

Further, patients will have 24/7 access to a comprehensive library of educational, disease management, health and wellness materials. They will also be able to access information about lifestyle and health practices, the proven health benefits of dietary supplements, and guidance on dosing, drug interactions and other relevant issues. The joint venture will launch a new online portal for product fulfillment, searchable medical information and practice support later in 2011.

 For both patients and clinicians, the demand to incorporate integrative medicine in health care is growing exponentially in the United States, said Jim LaValle, founder of IHR. Health Elements will provide medical practitioners with all of the support and services they need to expand their integrative health expertise within their practice. We can help them to build this capability with information from many of the world leaders in integrative medicine, and show them how to use proven-effective strategies and resources in practice development.

Andrew Heyman, M.D., adjunct assistant professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, said Health Elements will drive the integrative health field to new levels. Integrative physicians require easy-to-use professional systems that support the overall care process and that include decision-making tools and technology similar to what we now see in other areas of medicine.