Whole Health
Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers YOU to take charge of your health and well-being and live your life to the fullest. Whole Health starts with YOU. It is fueled by the power of knowing yourself and what will really work for you in your life. Only you have these personal insights and knowledge.
Montana VA Care System Whole Health Approach
Whole Health recognizes you as a whole person. It goes beyond your illnesses, injuries, or disabilities. This approach focuses on health and well-being and includes self-care and complementary therapies (such as acupuncture, nutrition, and yoga), along with your medical team. In the Montana VA Whole Health care, YOU are an active partner with your health care team. To get started, talk with your Primary Care team.
How is Whole Health different?
Health care usually focuses on preventive care, lowering risk, and illness and disease. Are your cancer screenings and flu shots up to date? Do you feel sick or are you injured? Do you smoke or is your weight healthy? What medications are you on and how are your test results? These are all still important. But Whole Health expands on traditional medicine. It focuses on what is important to you in your life and how you want to live your life. It includes self-care and things you can do to increase healing and improve your overall health and well-being. You and your health care team work together to help you achieve your goals. Together, you discuss what you are doing well and what type of support from others may be helpful.
Whole Health System
The Whole Health System includes conventional treatment, but also focuses on self-empowerment, self-healing, and self-care.
The Whole Health System moves VA forward from focusing on episodic care to a more continuous engagement with the Veteran throughout his/her life.
The Whole Health System model is the current vision for Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) integration in VA and includes three central components:
- The Pathway
- Well-Being Programs
- Clinical Care
The Pathway Is EMPOWERING: We partner with you, as well as your family and community, to explore the missions, purposes, and aspirations that will guide the development of your personal health plan.
Well-Being Programs Are EQUIPPING: We work with you to build the skills and support you need and identify proactive, integrative health approaches such as stress reduction, yoga, tai chi, mindfulness, nutrition, acupuncture, and health coaching that will help you take charge of your health and well-being and live your life to the fullest.
Whole Health Clinical Care Is TREATING: Along with your health care team, you will complete your personal health planning and find complementary and integrative health approaches.