36C10B18R2839-009.pdf

ATTACHMENT 1 - WHOLE HEALTH PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Radical Redesign of Health Care to Promote One’s Whole Health:

Talking Points

Why

1. Health outcomes in our country are poor and the US is now ranked 37th in life expectancy, despite spending far more on health care than any other country.

2. We are working to make a significant difference for Veterans and for our country by expanding our understanding of what defines health care.

3. We have developed a Whole Health System model that empowers and equips Veterans to discover a path to health, starting by thinking about what matters most in their lives.

What

1. 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.

2. We have developed a Whole Health System focused on self-empowerment, self-healing, and self-care with three components, The Pathway, Well-being Programs, and Whole Health Clinical

Care:

a. The Pathway is a partnership with peers where Veterans are empowered to explore their mission, aspiration, and purpose, and begin their overarching personal health plan.

b. Well-being Programs focus on self-care and equip each person with skill building and proactively supports one’s personal health plan with complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches such as mindfulness, yoga, tai chi, and health coaching.

c. Whole Health Clinical Care is provided by clinicians who utilize a whole health approach which is grounded in a healing relationship and incorporates complementary and integrative health approaches based on the Veteran’s personal health plan. This care may be provided in VA or in the community.

1. This approach not only partners with Veterans to improve their whole health, it is also critically important for Veterans with complex conditions, such as chronic pain and the invisible wounds of war.

2. The whole health approach improves access and reduces the burden on primary care.

How

1. VA staff have been working with Veterans around the country to bring this approach to life.

2. This model has been based on the experience of over 200 innovation projects, which were followed by seven selected design sites in FY16 and 11 more in FY17, and many more facilities are advancing this approach.

3. In conjunction with the Comprehensive Recovery and Addition Act (CARA) legislation, VA will now launch the full Whole Health System in 18 Flagship Facilities in FY18 which are the first wave of facilities in the national deployment of the Whole Health System.

4. In addition to a detailed implementation guide, the Flagship Facilities will receive education and training, resources and tools, and onsite support. Veteran outcomes, satisfaction, and utilization will be tracked, as well as the interface with opioid safety and suicide prevention.

5. This redesign of healthcare will model the future for the VA, and for the Nation.

Additional Materials and Information can be found in the Whole Health Library: Click here for these on-line education materials.

http://projects.hsl.wisc.edu/SERVICE/index.php