Hospital Gives a Green Light to the Mind Body Institute

For the past eight years, Rich Panico has been leading a double work life. He’s been serving as both an administrator and a clinician at the  a center for integrative medicine at .

Tired of dispensing information---about exercise, diet, reducing stress—that he himself was too exhausted to follow, .  A bout with cancer earlier this year also contributed to his decision to change his life.

When hospital officials talked about replacing him, they realized they would need 2.5 people to do all the things he was doing.

“That tells you something, doesn’t it?” he says.

So, come January 31, Panico will shift to a part-time position in the hospital. His mission, he says, will be to move his dream forward of making integrative medicine an essential component of healthcare at Athens Regional.

It could work—and has worked—like this. Before surgery, someone might get on a nutrition program to promote healing, and start meditating to relax and turn off stress responders. After surgery, the person might learn to manage pain in a way that’s healthy and to start an appropriate exercise program.

“I’ve been given a green light to promote these aspects of health care,” Panico says. “I’m assuming this green light is a true green light, and I’m going to ride on it.”

Right now, he’s trying to find an administrative home for the Mind Body Institute. He’s confident he can find a place for acupuncture and psychotherapy, services offered at the institute, and for other programs. The five yoga teachers are meeting to figure out what to do, he said.

One of Panico’s immediate tasks is to work with insurance companies so that they will cover integrative services., he said. His other is to enjoy the time away from work he expects to have.

He wants to paint, mostly chalk pastels. And to get back in the gym.

“We’re all working hard to preserve what we have,” he says. “It’s like changing the wings on an airplane while flying.”