Background

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is increasingly recognized for its holistic approach and effectiveness. Integrated medicine, emphasizing collaboration between TCM and Western medicine (WM), is promoted globally to enhance healthcare delivery. However, the roles and responsibilities of TCM practitioners in predominantly Western medical settings are underexplored, potentially hindering their engagement in interprofessional collaboration.

Objective

This scoping review investigated the roles and responsibilities of TCM practitioners and identified facilitators and barriers to TCM integration in Western medical contexts.

Search strategy

We conducted a scoping review using data from eleven Chinese and English databases, including Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health, MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Wanfang, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and the Chinese Science Citation Database.

Inclusion criteria

Eligibility was limited to studies on TCM practitioners in interdisciplinary teams with Western professionals, published in Chinese or English, while excluding articles that lacked documentation of TCM involvement, or focused exclusively on TCM practices.

Data extraction and analysis

Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's six-step framework was used to summarize data on the roles of TCM and TCM practitioners, and factors that facilitate and hinder the integration of TCM and WM.

Results

Our systematic search yielded 31 relevant papers. We identified eight key roles of TCM practitioners: mitigating WM-induced side effects, facilitating WM tapering and prevention, attenuating disease progression, improving mental health, providing pain relief, supporting stroke rehabilitation, managing symptoms, and regulating the immune system. TCM practitioners fulfill these roles through accurate diagnosis, prescription, and collaborative care while also serving as educators. Five facilitators for TCM integration were identified: safety, recognition, policy support, accessibility, and treatment guidelines. Barriers included: safety concerns, lack of research, insufficient TCM knowledge among WM practitioners, attitudinal barriers, limited access, and inconvenience.

Conclusion

Our review highlights the potential of TCM to enrich interdisciplinary teams in Western medical settings. Although there are successful integration models, significant barriers persist, including cost disparities and insufficient research. To achieve seamless integration, a multi-faceted approach that includes research collaboration, equitable policies, enhanced interprofessional education, and efforts to shift societal perceptions is essential. Please cite this article as: Wong AKC, Shi N, Ho A, Ho JYS. The roles of traditional Chinese medicine within an interdisciplinary team in predominantly Western medical settings: A scoping review. J Integr Med. 2026; 24(1):65-80.

Key words: Chinese medicine, Integrative medicine, Scoping review, Western medicine