What does a naturopath do?

What does a naturopath do??

Is there a homeopath? What is and does a naturopath?

When patients go into the treatment of non-medical practitioners, there is often ignorance of their skills, education and little general knowledge of the profession. Many patients assume that there is a completed vocational training as a naturopath, which is linked to the learning and practice of unified naturopathic methods.

The reality is different. The nameNaturopathsmay carry who passes a public health examination by the state health authorities, which was determined that the candidate ˝no danger to public health“ represents. Application and permission are issued through the district office or city administration.

Knowledge and practical experience in naturopathic and naturopathic methods of treatment and diagnosis in the written (multiple choice) and oral (by medical officer and medical practitioner) examination is not essential, but the most basic medical knowledge of the human organism, risks and their own treatment limits. The non-medical practitioner training is not yet regulated by the state and a visit to a Heilpraktikerschule is not a mandatory requirement for admission to the examination. However, there are certain requirements to be admitted to the exam: You must be 25 years of age, have at least a secondary school diploma, have a police certificate of good conduct without serious entries, and be without serious physical afflictions.

Most naturopaths are comfortable in „Schools of Naturopathy“ learn, understand general principles and the variety of procedures and then deepen their knowledge in subject-specific training, e.g. Homeopathy or TCM. On the other hand, there are also those therapists who are in favor of practicing a method that has already been learned, e.g. the Osteopathie, via the medical examination to the medical practitioner, a license to practice this method. In addition, there is a continuing obligation for continuing education for alternative practitioners, which is now also certified by some associations.

The profession of homeopath or osteopath is not (yet) in Germany. As a profession, there is the doctor or naturopath practicing homeopathy, osteopathy, TCM, there is noown profession for the individual procedures in Germany.

In addition to doctors and psychotherapists, the independent practice of medicine is only allowed to naturopaths. The professional basis for the non-medical practitioner offers the "Naturopathic Act" (Law on the professional practice of medicine without appointment) from the year 1939.

With a private full or additional health insurance as well as in the case of a claim for assistance, the patient can be reimbursed according to the fee regulation for non-medical practitioners (GebüH) certain treatment methods at fixed fees. According to a recent extrapolation of the Fee and Advisory Commission important Heilpraktikerverbände amounts to the reimbursements through the private health insurance and subsidies per year to 180 million €. (In: The Practitioners & Folk Healing 12/2009, p.36)

Literature:
Bierbach, Elvira (ed.): Naturheilpraxis Heute, Urban & Fischer 2002
König, Karl-Fritz, Board Spokesman of the Fees and Experts Committee, in: „180 million euros for non-medical practitioner patients“ ; The Naturopaths & Folk Healing 12/2009