Why is Everyone Talking About Whole-Health Care?
Whole-health care is part of a shift toward a more value-based care model.
The health sector is undeniably shifting, driven by patients’ consumer behavior, the expansion of digital health tools, and healthcare AI. This evolution has led to a “whole-health” shift in how we approach patient care.
However, what is whole-health care, and how will it affect patients as they navigate the healthcare system? Additionally, why does it matter to healthcare businesses?
Below, we’ll explore what this integrated approach to healthcare is all about, so leaders can know how to adapt and stay competitive in this ever-evolving industry.
What is whole-health care?
For the last century, healthcare has primarily operated under the principle of reductionism, a scientific strategy that breaks down complex systems into their fundamental parts. Under this approach, providers would focus on treating a specific disease or organ in isolation, rather than considering the patient's entire body and lifestyle as a whole.
While this method has led to incredible advancements in understanding specific diseases and developing highly effective targeted treatments, it falls short when dealing with chronic, complex conditions that are influenced by a variety of interconnected factors.
Whole-health care, though, is an overarching vision of how healthcare could be delivered. This method doesn’t just focus on treating symptoms or managing a specific disease; it prioritizes examining each of the various factors that can impact a person's overall health.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) describes it as “helping and empowering individuals, families, communities, and populations to improve their health in multiple interconnected biological, behavioral, social, and environmental areas.”
How does whole-health care affect patients?
When organizations consider how a patient's physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being may impact their overall health, it changes the way they interact with the healthcare system.
So, let’s explore two significant ways this approach impacts care from the patient's perspective.
It enhances the patient experience
Whole-health care is incredibly patient-centered, with research finding that patient-centered care can predict overall patient satisfaction above and beyond other medical service perspectives. Under a holistic care approach, providers view patients as equal partners in planning, taking into account their personal preferences, values, and goals.
The combination of receiving personalized care, along with practitioners engaging in more active listening toward patient concerns, effectively establishes trust. In turn, patients feel more understood and empowered to take control of their health.
As a Wolters Kluwer article shared of the maturing healthcare environment, “Patients expect a high-quality experience, so a culture of patient-centered care isn't a 'nice to have,' it's a 'need to have.’
Improved patient outcomes
By viewing a patient as a whole person, rather than just their symptoms or disease, providers are better equipped to identify underlying issues and address them effectively. Whole-health care also encourages taking proactive measures and prioritizing early intervention, which leads to improved health outcomes.
The comprehensive support patients receive under this model is particularly helpful and essential among vulnerable populations.
A compelling example of this in practice comes from a study at the Veterans Administration (VA) health system. Compared to those who received usual care, researchers observed the following in patients with chronic pain who received whole-health care:
They engaged in healthier behaviors.
Veterans were more involved in their health care decisions.
Participants reported small improvements in their sense of purpose in life, overall well-being, and quality of life.
Patients saw improvements in their ability to manage chronic pain, as measured by a validated stress assessment tool.
They had larger decreases in opioid doses
Why does it matter to healthcare businesses?
To put it simply, a healthcare company’s long-term viability depends on its successful adoption of holistic, whole-health care. If they don’t embrace it, they risk becoming obsolete and will struggle to compete in a patient-centric market.
We’ll dive in a bit deeper below.
The healthcare industry is shifting towards integrative health
While whole-health care is a philosophy for delivering care, the mechanism to achieve it is integrative health.
Over the last several years, there has been a shift toward integrative health, a model that combines conventional medical treatments with complementary and alternative therapies. A 2021 study noted an increasing interest in Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM), with the World Health Organization (WHO) and governments of various countries establishing agencies to support this approach.
Currently, over 50% of developed countries utilize some form of TCIM, and similar numbers are observed in developing nations. There’s also public interest in it, with trends driving the integration of TCIM in contemporary healthcare. Some of those trends include:
High and growing global rates of chronic disease.
An aging population, increasingly reliant on multiple medications, is leading to a rise in adverse side effects from modern medicine.
The increasing popularity of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among the general public.
Rising healthcare costs, where chronic diseases alone account for nearly 75% of the country's aggregate healthcare spending.
Given that whole-person healthcare cannot be achieved without integrative care, and the latter is clearly on the rise, healthcare businesses should actively seek ways to incorporate it. Otherwise, they may be left behind.
Whole-health care is tied to your bottom line
In the past, healthcare providers were rewarded for the volume of services they provided; however, today, we’re actively transitioning to a more value-based approach..
Whole-health and value-based care
Value-based reimbursement strategies financially incentivize (or penalize) businesses based on where they stand with quality metrics, patient outcomes, and overall cost of care.
Healthcare businesses hoping to maximize reimbursements should implement whole-health care, as many of its principles already align with value-based care incentives. By addressing all aspects of patient well-being, whole-health care inherently promotes better patient outcomes and decreases the need for reactive, high-cost interventions.
Long term healthcare cost savings
Whole-person care also offers cost incentives beyond value-based care reimbursements, particularly when technology is leveraged. Telehealth and AI tools, for example, can enhance organizational efficiency and improve patient engagement, enabling companies to reduce operational expenses.
It may even help improve workforce productivity and employee retention. Providers may experience less burnout and develop more meaningful relationships with their patients, increasing their job satisfaction.
Whole-health care is what your patients want
As mentioned before, patients are increasingly behaving more like consumers. Having access to their health data prompts curiosity and encourages research, making them more active participants in their own health.
Consequently, they’re no longer accepting fragmented, siloed care. Patients are more empowered than ever and desire providers who’ll provide a more personalized, patient-centric approach.
Failing to embrace this whole-health framework will cause patients to shop elsewhere.
A few healthcare systems and programs have already fully adopted the whole-healthcare model, including:
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Whole-health care requires the right technology
Whole-health and digital health are synonymous with one another. Whole-health is the framework, but digital health will be its delivery mechanism.
Virtual care is a scalable, accessible, and efficient delivery channel that allows the comprehensive, patient-centered philosophy to flourish. It complements this holistic care framework by enhancing access, facilitating integrated care teams, and enabling proactive and continuous remote patient monitoring (RPM) and chronic care management (CCM).
That’s where OpenLoop’s vast, white-label infrastructure comes into play. Instead of having to build it all yourself, we’ve spent years building a frictionless operational engine that powers your digital health delivery model. From patient visit and prescription fulfillment to provider staffing and reimbursement, we handle it all. Clean. Fast. Invisible. All under your brand.
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*This content is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, please consult a licensed attorney.