Whole-Person Care as the Standard of Care

The US healthcare system is failing our patients, our clinicians, and our communities, while costs are rapidly increasing. There is interest among practitioners, patients, and Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) in redesigning the healthcare system to one that focuses on prevention and reduction of chronic disease, while improving health and well-being. Whole-person care, a person-centered, relationship-based, team-based model that addresses the social, emotional, physical, spiritual, and behavioral factors that drive health and healing, would accomplish this goal. This article explores the opportunity, the evidence, the challenges, and the policy recommendations to implement whole-person care as the foundation of our healthcare system.