Mercy Medical Center hosts visiting Afghan physicians

U.S. State Department visit focuses on integrative medicine at Mercy

Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids is partnering with the Council for International Visitors to Iowa Cities (CIVIC) and the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) to host 13 female Afghan physicians on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

Caring for women primarily in rural areas in Afghanistan, the physicians asked to meet with a local female physician who specializes in integrative medicine, which combines cutting-edge, conventional medicine with evidence-based, complementary and alternative approaches.

The group will be hosted by Suzanne Bartlett, MD, FACOG, ABOIM, Mercy Integrative Medicine Center. Dr. Bartlett is Iowa’s first and the area’s only fellowship-trained medical doctor practicing integrative medicine. After a short presentation and question-and-answer session, the group will have the opportunity to view essential oils, supplements and other natural treatments used in integrative medicine.

The physicians are interested in examining health models that may be transferable to their patients in Afghanistan. Integrative medicine is particularly appealing to them because not all areas of their country have access to state-of-the-art technology, and improving overall well-being and core issues is of critical interest.