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. 2022 Apr 1:11:21649561211062511.
doi: 10.1177/21649561211062511. eCollection 2022.

Financing Whole-Person Health

Madison Hecht  1 , James Marzolf  1 , Ryan D Castle  2
Affiliations

Financing Whole-Person Health

Madison Hecht et al. Glob Adv Health Med. .

Abstract

Background: Current payment models in the U.S. healthcare system are neither sustainable nor desirable. Expenses outpace revenue for most healthcare providers, while patients experience rising prices contrasted with inadequate health outcomes.

Objective: There is not a single, small adjustment that can remedy these issues; systemic problems require systemic solutions. One such solution involves whole-person care, an approach that emphasizes using diverse healthcare resources to align care with a patient's values and goals as well as treat a patient's physical, behavioral, emotional, and social risk factors.

Methods: In order to be most effective, whole-person care must be paired with a viable payment system that prioritizes positive outcomes and efficiency. The predominant fee-for-service payment system is not conducive to whole-person strategies.

Results: This paper examines the role of capitated payments, risk adjustments, social and structural determinants of health, and expense trends in an interdependent approach to healthcare industry system reform.

Conclusion: The Whole Health paradigm is optimized to improve both the financial performance of healthcare providers and the healthcare results of patients. Phased implementation is both feasible and sustainable.

Keywords: Whole health; health policy; healthcare finance; integrative medicine; patient satisfaction; preventative care.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The authors whose names are listed immediately below certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent licensing arrangements) that would be furthered by the subject matter or materials introduced in this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Whole Health Delivery Model.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Financial Incentives for Wellness.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Types of Healthcare Payment—Alternative Payment Model Framework Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Tracking personal healthcare spending in the US | IHME Viz Hub (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2021, from http://vizhub.healthdata.org/dex.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Monica, 1776 Main Street Santa, & California 90401-3208 (2017, July 12). Chronic Conditions in America: Price and Prevalence. https://www.rand.org/blog/rand-review/2017/07/chronic-conditions-in-america-price-and-prevalence.html.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
The Future of Oncology Reimbursement: Alternate Payment Initiatives—ppt video online download (n.d.). Retrieved May 19, 2021, from https://slideplayer.com/slide/5914437/.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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