San Francisco VA Health Care System Whole Health Transformation
In partnership with the Office of Patient Centered Care & Cultural Transformation, the San Francisco VA Health Care System (SFVAHCS) is working to develop and evaluate a Whole Health Pathway leading to strong clinical care offerings, accessible self-care resources, and evidence-based complementary & integrative health services. Our goal is to invite Veterans to develop their own vision of health and wellness, to partner with them in creating and pursuing their personal health goals, and to match them with the wellness resources and support they need to reach those goals. SFVAHCS is committed to implementing and evaluating a patient-centered care model that mobilizes Veteran patients, their peers, interdisciplinary clinical teams, and community partners in the service of Whole Health, mind-body wellness, and patient empowerment.
SFVAHCS’s Whole Health Transformation focuses on 3 key areas:
Whole Health Coaching:
Whole Health coaches are available to Veterans for one-on-one sessions emphasizing personal health goal-setting. Coaches help Veterans create a Personal Health Plan and support them in reaching patient-driven goals. They assist Veterans in identifying and accessing clinical care, wellness, and complementary and integrative health resources available at VA and in the community.
Expanding Wellness/Complimentary and Integrative Health Programming:
We are expanding the complimentary and integrative health modalities accessible to Veterans through strategic community partnerships, staff training/internal capacity building, and apps/web-based tools (including our Whole Health Resource Directory). We are developing programs and partnerships in 5 key integrative health areas: (1) acupuncture, (2) movement therapies (yoga, tai chi), (3) integrative nutrition, (4) mind-body skills (mindfulness, meditation, etc.), and (5) recreational therapy.
Evaluation & Dissemination:
We are collecting data on Whole Health Transformation programs focusing on patient engagement/activation; patient satisfaction/experience; staff satisfaction/experience; health outcomes (with a focus on pain/chronic disease); and health services utilization. Data collected will drive iterative Quality Improvement cycles of plan-do-study-act to refine our Whole Health Transformation approach.
