VA Whole Health
Whole Health is VA’s approach to care that supports your health and well-being. Whole Health centers around what matters to you, not what is the matter with you. This means your health team will get to know you as a person, before working with you to develop a personalized health plan based on your values, needs, and goals.
What Makes Whole Health Different?
Our country has built a healthcare system which does very well treating many diseases—but which does not focus enough on creating and supporting health and well-being.
Whole Health is a shift from a system designed around episodic points of clinical care primarily focused on disease management, to one that is based in a partnership across time focused on Whole Health.
Whole Health is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and to live their life to the fullest. It focuses on self-care, skill building and support.
These services are not diagnosis or disease based but support the personal health plan of each Veteran. Promoting wellbeing and complementary integrative health approaches such as:
- Acupuncture to aid in pain management
- yoga, tai chi, qigong
- Meditation and mindfulness
- Massage Therapy
How can you Start?
Start a conversation with your VA health team about Whole Health. VA staff and Veteran peers can also support you on your Whole Health journey too.
Learn more about getting started with the Personal Health Inventory self-assessment, and Personal Health Plan and how it can shape your Well-being programs and clinical treatments. The road to better health and well-being starts here, with you.
Discover
Discover program is an educational module in which New Veterans that are registered for the first time in VA Healthcare System are provided an orientation and welcome package. The main objective is to provide information for preventive health care and wellbeing. This program was developed with the recommendations and experiences of our Veterans with the knowledge they identified as most important upon registering in the VA Healthcare System.
The Discover Courses currently offered are:
- Welcome to VA.
- Welcome to Virtual Care:
- Choose Life:
- VA Want You Healthy Part I:
- VA Want You Healthy Part II:
Pathway
In a partnership with Veteran peers, Veterans and their family are supported in exploring their Mission, Aspiration, and Purpose (MAP), and in developing their Personal Health Plan (PHP). VHA partners with Veterans from the point of enrollment and throughout their relationship to explore their MAP and to develop their PHP, as well as integrating care in the VHA and the community. To facilitate the Pathway, VHA has created a formal role for peers who partner with Veterans across time.
The Pathway has two courses led by Veterans to empower you in exploring your options within Whole Health Program.
- Introduction to Whole Health
- Taking Charge of My Life and Health
Wellbeing
The core offerings of Well-being Programs teach new skills that support self-care, including complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches, self-care practices, and Whole Health coaching. Well-being offerings may be accessible within the VHA setting or in the community.
- Interventions in Complementary Integrative health, such as movement therapists and teachers (e.g., yoga, tai chi, qi gong), licensed acupuncturists, mind-body therapists (e.g., stress reduction, guided imagery, clinical hypnosis), health coaches, and others.
- Veterans may be seen individually with a Health and Wellness Coach in support of their PHP; however, the primary services are focused on self-care skill building and ongoing classes for support.
Personal Health Inventory
It's time to decide what is most important in your life - what do you want your health for? Start with the Personal Health Inventory and decide what really matters in your life and what goals you want to achieve. When you are ready to start, your health care team will work with you to create a plan that integrates clinical care with wellbeing programs to help you reach your goals.
The Personal Health Inventory is the first step taken with your health care team to develop a personal health plan. The Personal Health Inventory walks you through the eight self-care areas identified on the Circle of Health to help you determine how they affect your health.
You will answer questions such as:
- Are you getting enough sleep at night to refresh your body and mind?
- Are you eating foods and beverages that nourish and fuel you?
- Are you surrounding yourself with people you love and care about?
- Are you finding opportunities to lean and grow?
When you have completed the Personal Health Inventory, you will know which areas in your life you want to improve, and you may have set some personal goals. Talk to your VA health care team about your goals and ask them to help you create a personal health plan to support you.
Whole Health, Your Wellbeing
Whole Health, also known as “Personalized, Proactive, Patient-driven Care,” is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and to live their life to the fullest. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America’s Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
Your Whole Health team will support you in the development of your personal health plan based on your values, needs, and goals.
Explore the Circle of Health
The Circle of Health illustrates the big picture connections between your health and other aspects of your life. Whole Health opens the door to discuss not only your health conditions but the things that impact your well-being. The equation begins with you, the “Me” at the center. We start at the middle saying, "I am the expert on my life, values, goals, and priorities. Only I can know WHY I want my health. Your story is unique and your whole health begins with what matters to you. Whole Health starts with “Me” in the center and is fueled by the power of knowing yourself and what works for you in your life. Each of us has the power to impact our well-being. Whole Health offers the skills and support you need to make the changes you want. Your health team is there to help with the prevention and treatment of disease and illness.
Just as there is a “Me” at the center of the circle, there is a “We” that enfolds it. Your community is more than the places where you live, work, and worship. It includes all the people and groups you connect with—those you rely on and those who rely on you.
Whole Health Programs
Whole Health is composed of three main programs: Discover, Pathway, and Wellbeing. While participating in the programs you can create collaborations with Veteran peers to receive support while you explore your options within Whole Health. Additionally, the programs provide education on skills to develop self-care and wellbeing, for example complementary integrative health approaches.
Whole Health Resources
Access Whole health educational materials designed specifically to educate each Veteran in their journey towards health and wellbeing. You can also access Whole Health videos to learn more about Whole Health services and the experiences from other Veterans. Explore videos, handouts, Veteran experiences, and Whole Health Applications.