AOA - OMED22 Culturally Competent Care Collection-247457

247457 - Article 2

Pdf Summary

Dr. Laura F. Robin's presentation, "Empowering Your Patients Through Functional Medicine: It’s Not Alternative…It’s Osteopathic!" at OMED22 highlighted the integration of functional medicine within osteopathic practice. Functional Medicine aims to address chronic illnesses by focusing on root causes rather than solely symptoms. Dr. Robin emphasized how functional medicine complements osteopathy's holistic approach, underlining principles like ensuring patients' well-being through self-regulation, structure-function interrelationship, and comprehensive patient treatment.<br /><br />Dr. Robin discussed the realities of current healthcare, noting that many patients are overmedicated and not engaged in root-cause treatment, leading to recurrent and worsening conditions. Chronic diseases, largely lifestyle-induced, account for most healthcare expenses, demonstrating the need for a more targeted approach.<br /><br />Functional Medicine, as Dr. Robin explains, involves a paradigm shift in how practitioners think about health, focusing on understanding the whole picture of a patient's health journey. The presentation outlined 12 key elements integral to functional medicine, including maximizing nutrient intake, reducing toxin exposure, and ensuring balance across hormonal and metabolic systems.<br /><br />Practical examples such as the cases of Sarah and Jeff illustrated how adopting functional medicine approaches—like detoxification, hormonal balance, and lifestyle modifications—can significantly improve patient outcomes. These changes empower practitioners and patients, fostering a cooperative health partnership.<br /><br />The session underscored functional medicine's alignment with osteopathic tenets, such as treating the individual as a whole and recognizing the body's inherent ability to heal. Dr. Robin advocated for a healthcare approach rooted in these principles to mitigate the long-standing gap between scientific discoveries and their implementation into practice, urging practitioners to evolve towards a more patient-centered and preventive model of care.

Keywords

Functional Medicine

Osteopathic Practice

Chronic Illness

Root Causes

Holistic Approach

Healthcare Paradigm

Nutrient Intake

Hormonal Balance

Patient Empowerment

Preventive Care