The Hospital Practice Handbook Project Interview Series: Paths to Practice Focus on Dr. Annie Budhathoki

November 22, 2019Megan Gale

This Paths to Practice interview is with Dr. Annie Budhathoki, DAOM, LAc, doctor of acupuncture and Oriental medicine, and licensed acupuncturist at the Linda B. and Robert B. Wiggins Wellness and Integrative Health Center, Huntsman Cancer Hospital and Clinics, the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Wellness Center is an outpatient acupuncture practice inside the cancer hospital.  The acupuncturists treat the side effects and symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment [such as] neuropathy, pain, nausea, insomnia, and hot flashes. Dr. Annie Budhathoki also does inpatient acupuncture for hospitalized oncology patients.

The Wellness Center is a Place Where Patients Regain Their Power 

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Annie: You know, the Wellness Center [is amazing; ] we have all this programming. At Huntsman, we have a supportive oncology team.  Dr. Anna Beck is the director of supportive oncology; when she came to Huntsman [she reshaped] the models for integrative medicine. 

This wellness center is a place where people are empowered to take charge of their health while going through cancer treatment and beyond into survivorship.

As providers, we have the opportunity to support people affected by cancer to overcome various health and wellness obstacles. We ensure each person feels empowered to improve and maintain their individual health despite their cancer diagnosis or former health status. When championing the best care of each specific symptom, we work together as an integrative team supporting the goals and betterment of each patient. Often this includes referring them into various programs that also support their needs, knowing that this is how they can continue to regain their power.

In the Wellness Center, we are supporting the basic health needs and daily quality of life issues which affects a person’s ability to function.  We manage symptoms like nausea, fatigue or sleep while their physicians are working on the cellular level to attack their cancer or on a surgical level to get things taken care of.

[In oncology the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery can be disempowering] for a patient because medicine takes over. And rightfully so in many cases so that those specific diseases can’t become chronic illnesses or can be cured if you will.  But in wellness and integrative health and especially acupuncture and massage, fitness, nutrition—this is where patients really get a chance to shine on their own; to regain their power.