If patients find value in alternative medicine, I don't understand what purpose ridiculing them or their practitioner(s) serves. There's a reason Auryvedic, Chinese medicine, and natural remedies have been around thousands of years, while modern medicine is still developing.
Medical anthropology is fascinating. People are healed by many means, quite often through the power of suggestion, or even blind faith.
I don't think anyone should discount that. As a professional who's supposed to be a lifelong learner, I'd rather keep an open mind.