Whole Person Health: The Role of Advocacy

The U.S. healthcare system is naturally evolving toward integrative, whole-person health. Optimal health is not just absence of disease—it is holistic in nature (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual) including a person’s sense of purpose and meaning in their lives. Through the efforts of groups such as the Integrative Health Policy Consortium (www.ihpc.org ) and several others, Congress and many other stakeholder groups became aware that we need to focus on all aspects of health including environmental considerations. Currently, the U.S. healthcare system is in the process of embracing whole-person health with its focus on wellness and well-being in addition to the treatment of clinical disorders. The Veterans Administration Whole Health Program is one such example, where they are shifting the healthcare paradigm from “What’s the matter with you?” to “What matters to you?” On the Hill, we are seeing growth in the Congressional Caucus on Integrative Health and Wellness as well as the Social Determinants of Health Caucus.