The utilization of complementary and alternative medicine by U.S. hospitals has increased, according to a new AHA study (PDF).

More hospitals offer patients one or more complementary and alternative medicine therapies compared with 2007, research showed. Data from 2010 show a 5% increase in hospitals that offer therapy compared with 2007, when 37% of hospitals offered more than one kind of complementary and alternative medicine therapy. Most of those hospitals, 72%, were in urban areas. The Samueli Institute, a not-for-profit that researches healing practices, conducted the study in conjunction with the AHA's research arm, Health Forum (PDF).

Services included therapy to help patients with fitness training, quitting smoking and eating better, as well as offering pastoral care. Massage therapy placed in the top two services for outpatients and inpatients. The holistic brand of therapy could include acupuncture, chiropractic and diet and lifestyle changes. The study reported 85% of respondents credit patient demand as the reason for offering alternative therapies. Meanwhile 70% responded that clinical effectiveness was their top reason for offering additional choices. Budgetary concerns ranked as the top obstacle for implementing the therapies.

The 2010 Complementary and Alternative Medicine Survey polled 5,858 hospitals in March with 714 answering, a 12% respondent rate.