Today’s healthcare system is broken—mostly operating as a “sick care” system that too often manages disease or symptoms without regard for the interconnectedness of the human body or the factors that serve at the root causes of disease. Care often consists of “quick fixes” and prescription-heavy treatments that don’t address these root causes. This “sick care” model prioritizes throughput and procedures over genuine health and wellness, leaving patients and providers feeling disconnected and unfulfilled.
With an estimated 129 million people in the U.S. living with at least one major chronic disease and 90% of the annual $4.1 trillion in healthcare expenditure—about $13,000 per person in the US—spent on managing these conditions, proactive whole-person care is more critical than ever. Studies continue to demonstrate how a healthy lifestyle led by a balanced diet, sufficient exercise, and emotional regulation can improve overall health, and prevent disease.
My Whole Person Care Journey to Redefine Health
When I started my career in family medicine, I was quickly consumed by this broken system. I was an overweight, burnt-out doctor, overwhelmed by the demands of seeing 40 patients a day. This relentless pace left me feeling powerless and disillusioned, unable to provide the care I knew my patients deserved. My own health suffered until I discovered the transformative power of whole-person care.
The thing is, true healthcare is not merely the management of disease—it’s about fostering vitality, building healing relationships, and proactively educating and empowering patients. It’s about preventing diseases before they arise, not just managing them after they occur. By addressing the root issues of disease through the integration of whole-person practices—such as nutrition, exercise, and stress management—with traditional medicine, we can offer more comprehensive care.
My journey from burnout and illness to health and fulfillment revealed profound flaws in our current approach to medicine. Now, I advocate for a healthcare model that integrates evidence-based whole person practices with traditional medicine and emphasizes the body’s innate capacity for self-healing.
Strengthening primary care is crucial in this transformation. Bringing in support from health coaches, nutritionists, and dieticians to your practice can provide the comprehensive care patients need in an impactful way. Personalized, proactive care meets the increasing demand from patients for value-based health solutions and shifts the doctor-patient dynamic to a collaborative partnership.
Technology Platforms Driving This Transformation
Shifting to a truly patient-centered healthcare system is challenging. The current model of rushed appointments and high patient volumes makes it difficult to focus on the bigger picture of proactive patient health and wellness. Luckily, the technological solutions needed to power this transformation exist today. Further, they can support the implementation of proactive, engaging care at scale—making the adoption of whole-person health practices not only feasible but ultimately more efficient and worthwhile.
Personalized healthcare platforms can play a key role in scaling your practice by creating seamless, patient-centered experiences. They prioritize meaningful interactions between patients and providers, which enhances care quality and fosters deeper connections. Further, integrations with electronic health records (EHRs) provide a comprehensive view of patient health data while being workflow efficient, allowing for more personalized and effective treatment plans without added administrative burden.
These platforms enable continuous care and real-time health management that lead to improved patient outcomes, especially when combined with other technology solutions. For example, telehealth and remote patient monitoring bridge the gap between patients and providers, ensuring continuous care for chronic conditions or further improving one’s health. Wearable devices empower patients to monitor their own health metrics, fostering a sense of control and engagement. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are instrumental in analyzing vast amounts of health data, identifying patterns, and personalizing treatments.
Advanced health technology solutions are pivotal for transforming healthcare to be more patient-centered and efficient. A well-built user experience minimizes the upfront work required to adopt these technologies, streamlines workflows, reduces administrative burdens and allows providers to focus more on caring for and connecting with people—facilitating a more whole-person approach to health.
Building Collaborative, Patient-Centered Care Models in Your Practice
Implementing whole-person care requires strategy and commitment, and the technology solutions with or without the trained lifestyle-focused providers mentioned above provide a strong foundation for these changes. Here are some practical steps to utilize existing technology platforms and build collaborative, whole-person care in your own practice:
- Promote Preventive Care:
- Develop regular/consistent/year-round wellness programs in your practice focused on preventive care, including routine biomarker monitoring paired with lifestyle interventions.
- Conduct whole-person assessments that evaluate physical, mental, and social health factors for a true understanding of your patient’s needs.
- Find the right technological solution to help you proactively identify at-risk patients and track their progress over time.
- Leverage Healthcare Technology:
- Use the personalized healthcare platforms that exist today to foster meaningful interactions between you and your patients.
- Prioritize seamless integration capabilities with your EHR to ensure interoperable data sharing that unlocks a holistic view of patient health and trends.
- Expand your practice’s use of telehealth services to improve access for follow-ups and chronic disease tracking.
- Use remote monitoring tools to track health metrics in real-time, enabling timely interventions.
- Enhance Patient Engagement:
- Invest in patient education programs or associate providers that empower individuals to take an active role in their health.
- Implement shared decision-making practices where patients are actively involved in their care plans, enhancing their commitment to those plans.
- Wearable devices and AI-powered apps can provide patients with the tools they need to assess and track their health.
- Adopt a Team-Based Care Model:
- Form multidisciplinary teams that include health coaches, nutritionists, dieticians, mental health professionals, and social workers to address all aspects of patient health.
- Develop collaborative care plans that involve input from all team members.
- Technology platforms can facilitate communication and coordination among team members, ensuring everyone is informed and aligned in their approach to patient care.
Together, we can work towards a healthcare model that not only improves patient outcomes with fewer side effects but also restores our sense of purpose as providers. By embracing whole-person care and leveraging the power of technology, we can create a healthcare system that genuinely prioritizes the well-being of both patients and providers. The journey is demanding, but the reward—a healthcare system that truly promotes health—is well worth the effort. It’s time to put “health” back into healthcare, for the benefit of everyone involved.
About Dr. Jeffrey Gladd
As Chief Medical Officer at Fullscript, Dr. Jeffrey Gladd guides company and product direction with the perspective of integrative and family medicine. In 2010, he opened GladdMD Integrative Medicine, blending health-promoting care with high-access technology, and in 2011, launched the web’s first nutrient depletion tool, www.mytavin.com. Dr. Gladd is a sought-after speaker on physician entrepreneurship, social media, and technology in healthcare.