The Case for Whole-Person Integrative Care

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Primary Care Models
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Growing need for holistic approaches in healthcare delivery.
• Current primary care models often lack integration of diverse health modalities.
• Whole-person care aims to address patient needs comprehensively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing whole-person care models in primary care.
• To evaluate the evidence supporting the effectiveness and business case of these models.
• To identify gaps in current research and definitions.

Main Methods:

• Narrative review of literature from December 2020 to February 2021.
• Searches included terms for "Whole Health," "integrative medicine," and related outcomes like "cost-effectiveness."
• Included studies from US primary care practices integrating conventional, complementary, and self-care.

Main Results:

• 125 studies met inclusion criteria, revealing heterogeneous whole-person care approaches.
• Models demonstrated substantial benefits in patient experience, clinical outcomes, and cost reduction.
• Evidence supports the positive impact of integrated care strategies.

Conclusions:

• Whole-person care models offer significant advantages but lack standardized definitions.
• Further research is needed to standardize models and utilize systems-based approaches.
• There is a clear need for more focused research on integrated health systems.