BD - Earth day 2024

Shift to Wellness

Shift to Wellness

Putu Deddy Suhartawan,Chief Operating Officer,Mayapada Eye Centre

The interview explores the concept of "Shift to Wellness" in healthcare, highlighting its differences from traditional approaches and discussing key elements, benefits, challenges, and future trends of holistic health strategies. Putu Deddy Suhartawan provides insights into how holistic approaches improve patient outcomes, the role of technology, communication strategies, and the evolving landscape of insurance and government policies. The discussion emphasizes collaboration among stakeholders and measurable outcomes for holistic health programs, pointing towards a patient-centered, multimodal future in healthcare.

1. Can you explain how the concept of "Shift to Wellness" differs from traditional healthcare approaches?

With its emphasis on treating diseases and illnesses after they arise, the traditional healthcare model has undergone a substantial shift with the introduction of the "Shift to Wellness" idea. It's common to criticize the traditional healthcare system for being symptom-focused, reactive, and overly dependent on intrusive procedures and pharmaceutical interventions.
The "Shift to Wellness" strategy, in contrast, places a strong emphasis on proactive and preventive actions meant to enhance general well-being and preserve health. It promotes an integrative, holistic approach that takes into account all facets of an individual's life, including their social, mental, emotional, physical, and environmental circumstances. The primary distinctions between traditional healthcare methods and the "Shift to Wellness" 

2. What are some key elements of holistic health strategies that are being embraced in the healthcare industry today?

Personalized therapies, integrative medicine, lifestyle management, mind-body connections, and preventative care are some of the ways that holistic health initiatives in healthcare address multidimensional well-being. Complementary therapies such as mindfulness and acupuncture, wellness initiatives, health coaching, and taking care of environmental variables are all components. Interdisciplinary teams working to treat the full individual provide care. Instead of only treating illnesses, the objective is to provide proactive, all-encompassing care that encourages healthy habits and general well-being. By using integrative, tailored techniques, adopting these patient-centered, collaborative strategies empowers individuals toward optimal health.

3. How do holistic health strategies contribute to improving patient outcomes and overall well-being?

By addressing a person's physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual needs, holistic health strategies use a complete approach. With the help of complementary therapies, self-care and lifestyle modifications, root cause identification and treatment, support for mental and emotional health, empowerment and control, and social support, these strategies hope to improve mental and emotional well-being. Holistic approaches take into account all aspects of wellbeing and the full person, which can lead to better patient outcomes, symptom relief, improved quality of life, and general well-being. But it's crucial to adhere to evidence-based procedures while being supervised by licensed medical personnel.

4. What challenges do healthcare organizations face when implementing holistic health strategies, and how can these challenges be overcome? 

The implementation of holistic health methods, such as interdisciplinary collaboration, patient engagement, reimbursement models, cultural transformations, and the integration of complementary medicines, presents obstacles for healthcare institutions. Strong leadership, interdisciplinary teams, alternative payment schemes, evidence-based integration of supplemental medicines, patient empowerment and education, and community partnerships are essential to overcoming these challenges. Healthcare systems can move toward a more patient-centered, holistic model that considers an individual's physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being by promoting a complete strategy that tackles organizational, financial, and practical obstacles.

5. How does the integration of technology support holistic health initiatives in healthcare settings?

Through telemedicine and remote monitoring, electronic health records, patient portals and mobile apps, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and health education platforms, technology integration supports holistic health initiatives in healthcare settings. Comprehensive patient data tracking, tailored care plans, empowered self-care, immersive therapy experiences, and early pattern recognition are all made possible by these technologies. Utilizing technology ensures ethical implementation and upholds individualized human care while addressing the interconnection of physical, mental, emotional, and social components of well-being. This promotes a holistic approach.

6. In what ways can healthcare providers effectively communicate and educate patients about holistic health options?

By actively listening to patients' concerns, taking an open and nonjudgmental stance, offering reliable and evidence-based information, integrating holistic approaches with conventional care, promoting patient involvement and self-care techniques, working with other healthcare professionals, and carrying out routine follow-ups and monitoring, healthcare providers can effectively communicate with and educate patients about holistic health options. Using a holistic approach that addresses the mental, emotional, spiritual, and mental elements of health, patients can explore holistic solutions in a comfortable setting and actively participate in their total well-being.

7. How do you see the role of insurance plans and government policies evolving to support holistic health approaches in healthcare?

It is anticipated that government regulations and insurance programs will change to encourage evidence-based holistic health treatments that support traditional medicine. Insurers may encourage the integration of holistic services, boost coverage for therapies like massage, chiropractic adjustments, and acupuncture, and offer incentives for preventative care. Governments might give funding for studies, provide standards and certification for quality assurance, offer incentives for enrolment, and help healthcare systems integrate comprehensive services. But greater acceptability will probably come with tight rules regarding safety, efficacy claims, and practitioner credentialing. Depending on public sentiment, lobbying, research advancements, cost considerations, and political issues, a balanced, evidence-driven strategy that values established holistic therapies alongside conventional care and emphasizes preventative whole-person health seems to be the likely route.

8. Can you share any success stories or case studies that highlight the impact of holistic health strategies on patient care?

A whole-person approach to holistic health has been shown to have positive effects on patient care for a variety of illnesses. Cancer patients' quality of life has increased because to integrative oncology programs that combine traditional medical treatments with complementary therapies like acupuncture and meditation. It has been demonstrated that practicing mindfulness and yoga can effectively treat chronic pain. Promising outcomes have been observed for disorders such as depression and PTSD in integrative mental health programs that integrate psychotherapy with modalities like yoga. It has been shown that changing one's lifestyle to emphasize holistic tactics like stress reduction and a balanced diet might help prevent cardiovascular disease. These success stories demonstrate how integrating multifaceted, holistic approaches can improve patient care by promoting healing and overall well-being.

9. What advice would you give to healthcare leaders looking to prioritize and implement holistic health initiatives in their organizations?

Healthcare leaders should have a clear vision and strategy, encourage a culture that embraces holistic care, invest in education and training, integrate complementary therapies, prioritize patient-centered care, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, leverage technology, continually evaluate and optimize initiatives, advocate for supportive policies, and form community partnerships in order to prioritize and implement holistic health initiatives. The interdependence of physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being is acknowledged by this all-encompassing approach. It entails combining various modalities, promoting patient involvement, enabling coordinated care, making use of data-driven enhancements, adhering to organizational principles, and establishing a nurturing environment. Healthcare companies can offer complete care that promotes total well-being by embracing a holistic perspective.

10. How can collaboration among healthcare stakeholders, including providers, insurers, and policymakers, drive the shift towards holistic wellness?

Working together, healthcare stakeholders can accelerate the transition to holistic wellness. It entails combining different industries to advance a thorough comprehension of well-being. This method acknowledges the fact that a person's physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being are all interrelated. A complete strategy is made possible by collaboration, guaranteeing that every facet of health is taken into account and dealt with. It encourages an all-encompassing approach to healthcare, makes information exchange easier, permits integrated treatment, finds linkages, and stimulates creativity. Collaboratively, experts offer all-encompassing, efficient, and empirically-supported solutions that enhance the general well-being of people and communities.

11. What are some measurable outcomes or metrics that healthcare organizations can use to evaluate the success of their holistic health programs?

Healthcare companies can use a variety of quantifiable indicators and outcomes to track the effectiveness of their holistic health programs. These measurements can be divided into two categories: wellness program measures that are business-oriented and those that are employee-focused.

12. Looking ahead, what do you see as the future trends and opportunities in the integration of holistic health strategies into mainstream healthcare practices?

An increasing focus on patient-centered, multimodal approaches will characterize the future of integrating holistic health with conventional healthcare practices. The expansion of holistic institutes, integrative medicine, holistic nursing, and the confluence of traditional and alternative medicine are some trends. Exercises that increase physical strength while taking mental well-being into account are examples of the holistic approaches that are becoming more popular in the fitness and wellness industries. It is anticipated that at-home self-care would persist, with an emphasis on practical and reachable techniques. These patterns point to a change in the direction of a more all-encompassing and patient-centered approach to healthcare, with an emphasis on natural remedies, preventive treatment, and the incorporation of holistic techniques into conventional healthcare settings.

13. Is there anything else you would like to add or any final thoughts you would like to share regarding the shift to wellness in healthcare and the importance of embracing holistic health strategies?

An increasing focus on patient-centered, multimodal approaches will characterize the future of integrating holistic health with conventional healthcare practices. The expansion of holistic institutes, integrative medicine, holistic nursing, and the confluence of traditional and alternative medicine are some trends. Exercises that increase physical strength while taking mental well-being into account are examples of the holistic approaches that are becoming more popular in the fitness and wellness industries. It is anticipated that at-home self-care would persist, with an emphasis on practical and reachable techniques. These patterns point to a change in the direction of a more all-encompassing and patient-centered approach to healthcare, with an emphasis on natural remedies, preventive treatment, and the incorporation of holistic techniques into conventional healthcare settings.