Increasing the focus on “whole-person health”

May 22, 2023

Written by Jim Molis

Instead of treating only a specific disease or illness, doctors, employers, and insurance companies are increasingly focusing on overall health by promoting wellness and resilience. They are helping to advance well-being and prevent disease through a whole-person health approach to health care.

“Whole health relates to overall health and well-being,” said Dr. Craig Hersh, vice president and chief medical officer for commercial business at Florida Blue, Florida’s local Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan. “There is no physical health without mental health, and there is no mental health without physical health.”

Approaching health holistically provides broad benefits for both the employees and their employers, by improving well-being, reducing costs, and avoiding more expensive care. “Whole health leads to a happier and more fulfilling life,” Hersh said.

“Not only do healthy employees experience more joy, but they also tend to be more productive,” Hersh said. In teaming with like-minded health care providers, insurers like Florida Blue are providing products, benefits, and other personalized solutions that focus on total care by supporting individual employees and employers.

Treating patients holistically and continually

In the whole-health approach to care, providers consider a patient’s family history to help them prevent or plan for possible conditions.

Hersh adds that it is important to treat people across their unique journey. For example, primary care doctors serve as the coordinator. They consider a patient’s family history and other social factors, are aware of any acute or other issues, and can partner with specialists and the patient to help prevent or plan for possible conditions like diabetes, depression, or heart disease.

Then, if a patient has an acute need, like a heart attack or pneumonia, doctors will layer in additional support within the context of that patient’s health and lifestyle. “We want to help all members, first and foremost, by eliminating knowledge gaps and lessening emotional burdens, so they know what to do in order to stay healthy and happy,” Hersh said.

If a patient does develop a chronic condition, doctors can intervene early to prevent it from worsening and to manage the condition. “At Florida Blue we collaborate with doctors to make sure patients have the specialized local support they need at home, at work, and in their communities,” Hersh said.

Often there may be both physical and mental health issues associated with chronic illness. Whole-person care also includes screening for, and then treating, any mental health issues that can arise when someone’s physical health worsens, and vice-versa.

“Research shows that diagnosing and treating depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health conditions can improve overall well-being, in addition to reducing a patient’s medical costs,” Hersh added.

Addressing determinants of health, like education, housing, and nutrition, is also part of whole-person care. “There are too many inequities affecting people when it comes to these determinants of health. We really saw that play out during the height of COVID-19. As a health care industry, we must act to effectively address these factors to improve every that drives health.” An example of this is ensuring that someone without transportation can get to the doctor. “If patients do not keep their appointments, they may have to go to the emergency room for care, and in some instances, this can lead to being admitted to hospitals. This creates a sense of fear, uncertainty, and doubt.”

Whole-person care even incorporates end-of-life issues like advanced-care plans, in which patients and providers work together to document health objectives and the steps needed to achieve those. For instance, if a patient wants to spend more time with their grandchildren or to travel, providers can help them develop a customized plan of care that considers the expected and the unexpected.

“These individuals are confronting issues that will impact their quality of life and overall state of well-being,” Hersh said. “Sorting out these difficult things before there is a crisis can help put patients and their families at ease and help them feel more fulfilled.”

Adopting a whole-person care approach

As more insurers, providers and employers adopt whole-person care rather than treating each medical appointment as an isolated incident, costs should decrease, and outcomes should improve.

“Employers can also help employees care for themselves holistically,” Hersh said. “While insurance companies do not discuss any individual employee’s health with employers, they can help businesses broadly address related challenges their workforce may face,” he said.

“For example, our nurses and care teams run seminars at workplaces on topics like smoking cessation, diabetes prevention, healthy eating, and the importance of mindfulness,” Hersh said. These can be part of an overall wellness campaign or may be just addressing a specific need across the workplace.

By focusing on whole-person care, rather than treating each medical appointment or illness as an isolated incident, costs should decrease and outcomes should improve, according to advocates. Florida Blue, for one, is focused on driving this evolution by encouraging annual wellness checkups, and by incentivizing providers for value-based care that centers around avoiding sickness and promoting wellness.

Putting customers at the center of it all, Florida Blue also measures members’ satisfaction with providers. “If people are unhappy, they are less likely to engage,” Hersh said. “The goal is a partnership between Florida Blue, the doctor, and each member – to understand and treat each member’s goals and needs, both physical and mental. That is what whole health is all about.”

Learn more about Florida Blue Employer Plans

Florida Blue, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, has been providing health insurance to Florida residents for 75+ years. Driven by its mission of helping people and communities achieve better health, the company serves more than 5 million health care members across the state.

Jim Molis is a freelance writer with The Business Journals Content Studio.

This article was original published by Jacksonville Business Journal.