Integrative Approach to Health Assessment and Wellness Planning

Integrative Approach to Health Assessment and Wellness Planning

Introduction

Ø    Integrative medicine is a wellness approach that combines conventional medicine (Surgery, drugs, and lifestyle modifications) and complementary medicine (yoga, meditation) (Menezes, 2020).

Ø    It is a holistic approach that takes charge of the patient’s habits.

Ø    Integrative medicine seeks to treat a person as a whole and not a disease.

Ø    The patient's mind, soul, and body are considered wellbeing and healing.

Ø    It emphasizes a patient-focused approach and includes the emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, and social wellbeing of a person and not of an organ system.

Why Holistic Approach is Necessary

Ø  According to recent studies, traditional medicine has shown a mind-body connection for centuries creating a holistic approach.

Ø  There has also been evidence from research showing that the interaction of the brain and the body's immune system is influenced by psychological factors affecting immunity. This is evidenced by how psychopharmacotherapies and psychological interventions have had positive health outcomes for cancer patients (Menezes, 2020).

Ø  Also, some studies have linked stress and depression to increase the risk of acquiring particular diseases such as allergies, autoimmune disorders, infections, and cardiovascular diseases.

Ø  Substantial evidence has also shown that the use of mind-body therapies alongside conventional medicine can be used for various conditions. Relaxation, meditation, imagery, and hypnosis are some of the techniques used to show that changing your mindset produces a physical response, showing evidence of mind-body interaction.

Ø  More recent studies have demonstrated that mindfulness meditation and support groups have produced a positive health outcomes for breast cancer survivors.

Method to Assess Health and Wellness from a Holistic Perspective

Ø    A holistic health assessment helps gain necessary information on a patient's emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual health. Assessment methods include;

Ø    Physiological assessment entails a complete physical exam.

Ø    Psychological assessment helps in reviewing potential stressors that may potentiate an illness.

Ø    Spiritual assessment involves respectfully assessing the spiritual and religious practices that may alter nursing care or contribute to an illness.

A Holistic Wellness Plan

Ø    A wellness plan should include a detailed plan of action that drives you towards achieving personal wellness holistically. It shows multidimensional satisfaction and health (Miller, 2020).

Ø    A physical wellness plan involves nutrition, what to eat, meal planning, and prepping. Also, exercise planning and developing a healthy sleep routine pattern. It also includes medical check-ups and practices that promote health and prevent illnesses. Avoid smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, recreational drug use, and some preventive strategies to promote physical wellness.

Ø    An emotional wellness plan entails the identification of stressors, methods to manage stress effectively, scheduling time for wellness activities, and self-care—a plan to also understand and cope with overwhelming emotions.

Ø    A spiritual wellness plan entails reaching out to a professional and practicing mindfulness and meditation. Also, developing a life purpose, thriving personally, spreading love, and learning as much as possible.

Ø    A social wellness plan will entail connecting with others, which may be through zoom meetings with workmates or long-distance friends, sending a birthday card, and reconnecting with family members.

Scientific Validity of a Wellness Plans

Ø    The article “Effectiveness and Utilization of Hospital-Directed Wellness Initiatives during the Covid-19 Pandemic" explains how many hospitals put wellness initiatives to lessen the Covid-19 burden on healthcare workers (Cotarelo et al.,2022).

Ø     Some of the interventions included directed payment, offering free food at work, debriefing sessions, thankyou cards from the community, public acknowledgments, offering psychological services, and a general celebration of successful discharges of Covid-19.

Ø    This helped reduce the prevalence of negative attitudes, misperceptions, and the development of psychological trauma. Therefore, promoting the holistic wellbeing and wellness of healthcare professionals.

Ø    An article by Stephen Miller points out that many employers use wellness programs intending to produce significant health outcomes on blood pressure, weight, blood glucose, and cholesterol.

Ø    However, most wellness programs focus on emotional resilience, physical health, stress management, and financial crises (Miller, 2020).

Ø    This research shows that employees in US companies, approximately 44%, were optimistic about their health outcomes.

Conclusion

Ø    Integrative medicine, which involves using conventional medicine and complementary medicine, has proven to be scientifically effective in providing holistic care and wellness to a patient.

Ø    Holistic approaches are significant as they enhance mind-body connections, and according to research studies, it has helped promote healing holistically and produce positive patient outcomes eventually.

Ø    To gain significant knowledge and information, approaches to assessing one's health and wellness from a holistic approach include performing a physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological assessment.

Ø    Developing a holistic wellness plan helps guide one towards implementing actions to help improve physiological, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and social health to ensure holistic health satisfaction.

Ø    Therefore, developing an integrative approach to health assessment and wellness planning is an essential strategy for providing holistic care for health promotion and better patient outcomes. 

References

Cotarelo, A., Rahman, N., McLean, M., & Kulkarni, M. (2022). 23 Effectiveness and Utilization of Hospital-Directed Wellness Initiatives during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Communications, 2(29), 2-42.

 Downs, A. (2020). Creating a Holistic Wellness Plan - Studio Element. Studio Element. Retrieved from https://studio-element.net/creating-a-holistic-wellness-plan/.

 Miller, S. (2020). Wellness Programs Show Modest Benefits, as Efforts Pivot to 'Well-Being.' SHRM. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/wellness-programs-show-modest-benefits-as-efforts-pivot-to-well-being.aspx.

Menezes, L. (2020). What is the Mind-Body Connection? - Dr. Lakshmi Menezes. Florida Medical Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.floridamedicalclinic.com/blog/what-is-the-mind-body-connection/.