Functional Medicine
The functional medicine model is an individualised, patient-centered, science-based approach that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness. It requires a detailed understanding of each patient’s genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors and leverages that data to direct personalised treatment plans that lead to improved patient outcomes.
By addressing root cause, rather than symptoms, practitioners become oriented to identifying the complexity of disease. They may find one condition has many different causes and, likewise, one cause may result in many different conditions. As a result, functional medicine treatment targets the specific manifestations of disease in each individual.
By addressing root cause, rather than symptoms, practitioners become oriented to identifying the complexity of disease. They may find one condition has many different causes and, likewise, one cause may result in many different conditions. As a result, functional medicine treatment targets the specific manifestations of disease in each individual.
Functional medicine determines how and why illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root causes of disease for each individual. It already proved to be the best approach for chronic diseases in terms of both outcome for the patients and sustainability for society.
Studies and reports from the US showed already more than a decade ago worrisome numbers (see below) and the prevalence and cost of chronic disease continued to rise. Functional medicine has proven to reverse this trend by providing better outcomes and cost savings for both patients and the healthcare system in the long term.
Studies and reports from the US showed already more than a decade ago worrisome numbers (see below) and the prevalence and cost of chronic disease continued to rise. Functional medicine has proven to reverse this trend by providing better outcomes and cost savings for both patients and the healthcare system in the long term.
50% of adults have at least one chronic health condition
25% of adults have two or more chronic health condition
Chronic diseases account of 86% of all healthcare costs ($3.2 trillion in 2015 and growing)
50 % av alla vuxna har minst ett kroniskt hälsotillstånd
25% av alla vuxna har två eller fler kroniska sjukdomar
Kroniska sjukdomar står för 86% av alla sjukvårdskostnader (3,2 biljoner USD 2015 och ökande)
The situation appears to be similar in numbers and trends, especially in developed countries. A thorough analysis in Sweden in 2013, Myndigheten för vårdanalys rapport 2014:2, showed that 85-90% of people over 65 years old have at least a chronic disease and 65-70% of them have two or more chronic diseases and this group stands for 80-85% of the healthcare costs.
Functional medicine offers the potential for achieving unprecedented levels of health restoration and financial savings.
By uncovering and addressing the underlying causes of the common conditions that afflict a growing number of people—autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and digestive issues, to name a few—functional medicine brings the potential to liberate patients from their dependence on costly medications that are not designed to address the root causes of their disease.
Functional Medicine Accelerates the Clinical Adoption of Scientific Discovery.
Typically, a 15- to 17-year gap lies between scientific discovery and its implementation in the practice of medicine. Functional medicine practitioners dramatically reduce that gap by using solid scientific foundations to translate breakthroughs in scientific understanding into clinical practice in real time. As a result, functional medicine practitioners are early adopters of innovative knowledge and practices. The combination of scientific rigor with patient-centered pragmatism achieves superior results in many cases. A number of functional medicine patients have experienced resolution of illnesses that were thought to be untreatable in conventional practice.
Critically, functional medicine patients are assumed to be co-creators of health along with their clinicians.
This is a mutually empowering relationship between patient and provider where both share responsibility for creating and implementing the healthcare plan to achieve desired well-being. As insurance deductibles increase, patients pay more out of pocket, but this also tends to increase patient commitment and promote a higher return on investment. A greater level of engagement can lead to more years of health, not just more years of life.
