With the presidential race in full swing it’s important to address the elephant in the room, healthcare. There is a growing trend that has the power to drastically shift healthcare all together. The biopsychosocial approach within healthcare continues to plant its roots.

Today healthcare may be one of the most discussed topics in America. Often a turning point that continues far beyond election campaigns. Good news for you, we aren’t going to be discussing politics. I think we can all agree, we’ve had our fair share already.

Our team would simply like to bring about an idea that is becoming increasingly popular within the healthcare industry.

Biomedical Approach vs. Biopsychosocial Approach

Before we can understand what is truly happening within our healthcare system it is important to understand two varying approaches. The first of which is the biomedical approach. The second, more recent, is the biopsychosocial approach. Each with their own place in our healthcare system.

The biomedical approach includes testing and diagnosis, with the use of prescription medications to treat the symptoms in order for a patient to be at ease. In some cases, another side effect occurs, leading to another prescription. See the problem? The process becomes cyclical. Soon enough the daily pill box is full, and a list of medications is ready to be picked up from the local CVS at the end of each month.

In contrast, the biopsychosocial approach is more of a big picture analysis. This approach takes into consideration all of the environmental factors that may play a role. This  includes our own biology, behavioral and cognitive patterns, as well relationships with others, and ourself.

Healthcare Trends Today

There is clear distinction between the two because the current healthcare trends. Hospitals are crowded, physicians are overbooked, and patients are not receiving the care they need and deserve. The biomedical approach is used, simply because it is the only viable option. Do not blame your physician, they may not have a choice. A visit may be quite short, only allowing miminial patient-physician interaction but just enough time for a prescription to be written. Prescription pills are taken one after another to mask symptoms. At LiveWell Southwest Florida we often refer to this as ‘disease-care’.

The true question, are these patients truly progressing towards better health? Or are the medications simply hiding the unwanted symptoms?

The biopsychosocial approach would follow a very different route, and is comparable to a functional medicine, which is also becoming increasingly popular. The approach takes all factors into account in order to understand the bigger picture. The factors include, nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress reduction, as well as relationships. Each of which have the ability to create drastic impact. Although the biopsychosocial approach is time consuming, in the long run, patients progress towards greater health.

So What is True Healthcare?

Healthcare begins and ends as a strategy for the promotion of personal health. This means healthcare is not solely in the hands of your physician, rather healthcare should be in your own hands first and foremost. We, as individuals, must play a more active role in our own health, and transform from reactive based system to proactive thinking towards the future.

To be clear, we are not telling you to disregard your physicians, or specialists recommendations, we are simply suggesting individuals take a new look on healthcare. Are we truly diving deep, and finding the root causes, or are we hiding the symptoms to be at ease?

Give it some thought.