Continuum Health Partners > Beth Israel Medical Center > Department of Integrative Medicine

Integrative Clinical Services

Clinical services offered by the Department include a major outpatient center as well as programs for inpatients at the hospital:


Clinical Services at the Continuum Center for Health and Healing
The Continuum Center for Health and Healing is an initiative of Beth Israel Medical Center. Since its inception in 2000, the CCHH has offered integrative care, employing safe and effective conventional, traditional medicine and healing therapies in a specially designed therapeutic environment. The Center’s staff is committed to relationship-centered care and a collaborative working environment. This approach considers the individual’s physical, psychosocial, spiritual and cultural needs in order to support healing on all levels. For more information detailing the available services, visit www.healthandhealingny.org.

    Continuum Center for Health and Healing
    245 Fifth Avenue at 28th Street
    2nd Floor
    New York, NY 10016
    (646) 935-2220
    Hours at the CCHH are Mon-Thurs: 8:30am-6:00pm, Fri: 8:30am-5:00pm

Holistic Preparation for Surgery Program
This program was designed to support patients through the surgical experience. Aurora Ocampo, MA, RN, CS, the Clinical Nurse Specialist who directs this program, is an experienced nurse clinician with certification in biofeedback, therapeutic touch, clinical imagery, aromatherapy, Reiki and clinical hypnotherapy. Current research shows that mind-body interventions help patients achieve better surgical results and lessen emotional and psychological stress. Bethefits include a reduction in anxiety, discomfort and pair perception, reduced length of hospital stay and improved coping skills.

This program helps patients prepare for surgery using the following techniques:

    • Centering and Grounding
    • Aromatherapy
    • Guided Imagery
    • Biofeedback
    • Energy Healing (Therapeutic Touch, Reiki)

Patients attend a group educational session at a scheduled time before going in for surgery. Some patients may opt for private sessions as well on a fee-for-service basis.

Due to the program’s notable success in helping patients feel more comfortable and reduce medication use following surgery, Ms. Ocampo has been educating and training nurses throughout surgical units at the hospital to teach patients breath control techniques and clinical imagery for pain management. According to a survey tool used on the surgical unit, patients who receive these holistic nursing therapies while also taking pain medication report a higher level of pain relief when compared to those patients who receive pain medication alone.

This group educational program is provided to patients free of charge. To register for the program, contact Aurora Ocampo at (212) 420-2496.

Ms. Ocampo’s Preparing for Surgery program is also available at no cost online thanks to a donation from the Balm Foundation: www.preparingforyoursurgery.org

Acupuncture Services
In addition to the outpatient acupuncture services offered at the CCHH, acupuncture services are available for inpatients and for the hospital-based rehabilitative care of outpatients in select departments at Beth Israel. These new services are provided free of charge by licensed acupuncturists through the Acupuncture Fellowship Program, directed by Dr. Arya Nielsen, senior acupuncturist at the CCHH. Acupuncture has been studied in the US, Europe and Asia and has demonstrated therapeutic value pre-and-post surgery, in obstetrics and gynecology, rehabilitation medicine, pulmonary and cardiac care, otolaryngology, emergency medicine, and other medical specialties.

Acupuncturists have assigned shifts on several units throughout the hospital and acupuncture consults are available to all patients with physician approval on a first-come, first-served basis. To arrange acupuncture services for patients already in the hospital, call (646) 935-2248.

Click here for more information about the
Acupuncture Fellowship Program

Information on the Acupuncture Fellows

Integrative Yoga Therapy Program
The Integrative Yoga Therapy Program at Beth Israel Medical Center is offered through the Department of Integrative Medicine. In this program, highly skilled integrative yoga therapists are available to provide bedside care to patients and to provide support for family members, care providers, and hospital staff. Individual and group sessions are tailored to meet the needs and abilities of each individual patient. These sessions focus on movement, restorative postures, meditation practices and breath awareness techniques and are designed to promote relaxation and healing. Therapists with additional certification may also utilize modalities such as reiki and aromatherapy.
The goal of the Integrative Yoga Therapy Program is to help patients relieve symptoms of “PANIC” (pain, anxiety, nausea, insomnia, and constipation), and to develop an awareness of their breathing and own internal healing mechanisms. The belief is that movement and mind-body integrative is vital to the healing process.
This program is currently available to Oncology and General Surgery patients and will be expanding to other departments in the future. Integrative Yoga Therapy was first introduced at Beth Israel through a grant from the Urban Zen Foundation, and was met with such success that it has now become incorporated as a service of the Department of Integrative Medicine.

Healing Touch Program
Healing touch enhances wellness by gently encouraging balance throughout the entire system: body, mind, and spirit. Healing Touch sessions can reduce stress and anxiety, lessen pain, and promote coping and faster recovery. This service is offered, free of charge, as a service of The Beth Israel Healing Touch Volunteer Program to patients on the surgical oncology floor. While the availability of treatments is currently limited, we hope to expand it in the future. Patients on other units who are interested in receiving Healing Touch may inquire about the availability of services by calling (212) 844-5023.


Contemplative Care Services
Contemplative Care Program: Buddhist Chaplains & Contemplative Care Volunteers

In partnership with Beth Israel Medical Center's Departments of Integrative Medicine and Pastoral Care, the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care (www.zencare.org) provides Buddhist Chaplains and Contemplative Care Volunteer services to patients, families and staff of any faith tradition or spiritual background throughout the Medical Center.

Contemplative Care is a form of caregiving that arises from a contemplative practitioner's daily deep reflection on life, death and on its meanings and values. The goal of contemplative care is to meet the needs of the whole person: their concerns, their feelings and beliefs, and what touches and inspires them.

New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care's mission is to offer compassionate care to anyone in need. They do this work in order to create a more harmonious healing environment and are the first Buddhist organization to both contract with a hospital to provide Buddhist Chaplains and to have the first ACPE Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Program in the country.

They offer:

  • Chaplains and trained Contemplative Care Volunteers to meet patients
  • Contemplative Compassionate Care at the bedside
  • A friendly presence in difficult times
  • Guided and silent meditation instruction for individuals, families and staff
  • Rituals for important moments

While in the Medical Center, if you or someone you care for would like to meet with one of our Buddhist Chaplains or Contemplative Care Volunteers, please contact us through the Pastoral Care Department: (212) 420-2759.