A tongue's tale - a case report of traditional Chinese medicine integration in the cardiology department.

The purpose of this case study is to provide a unique perspective on the integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in an acute care hospital setting. This case report tells the story of a patient who was hospitalized in the cardiac intensive care unit and received both western and TCM treatments. The patient's medical narrative is illustrated using pictures of her tongue that were taken along the course of her hospitalization. Analysis of the medical file, and each picture provide in-depth understanding of her medical condition from both western and TCM perspectives respectively.