Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Integration into Nursing Practice Complementary alternative medicines (CAM) are not a brand new medical practice that has emerged recently (Bennett, 2009). Several complementary alternative medicine therapies are; homeopathy, aromatherapy, touch therapy, and music therapy, these therapies named here are only a small number of therapies available and have been around for two decades according to (Matthew, Whedon, & Weeks, 2011). This paper will explore the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) and how the ACO could benefit the healthcare system and nursing practice (Matthew et al., 2011). In the conclusion of this article, we highlight the fact that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) does indeed have a place in nursing practice and healthcare systems today. With this in mind, our economy in the United States (US) has experienced a steep decline over the past decade. Furthermore, there has been an increase in costs in the healthcare sector; new proposals that would reduce healthcare expenditure/cost and an ever-growing trend involving the use of Cam (Matthew et al., 2011). Due to the economy, jobs and insurance benefits were lost. The employees were fired and offered Cobra benefits to preserve their medical insurance. The only problem was that Cobra insurance cost double what they paid. Legislation supporting the creation of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs, 2009) was recently enacted as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and in 2012 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will begin contracting with ACOs (Matthew et al ., 2011 pp. 669). ACOs would have a broad......center of paper medicine......medical and knowledge seeking from conventional healthcare providers. Contemporary Nursing, 33(1), 41-49. doi: 10.1089/acm.2011.0364McCreery, H. (2010). Integrative Medicine: Combining conventional and complementary medicine to improve patient care. ONS Connect, 25(11), 6-9. Retrieved from http://cinahl.com/cgi-bin/refsvc?jid=3344&accno=2010881233O'Regan, P., Wills, T., & O'Leary, A. (2010). Complementary therapies: a challenge for nursing practice. Nursing Standard, 24(21), 35-39, 5p. Retrieved from http.//cinahl.com/cgi-bin/refsvc?jid=530&accno=2010550203Sharoff, L. (2008). Holistic nursing and medical-surgical nursing: a natural integration. MEDSURG Nursing, 17(3), 206-208. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy025.nclive.org/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=15&sid=6fd9027 6-71bf-4359-914c-447052b7b16f%40sessionmgr15&bdata=JnNpd