Today, in the arena of health and wellness, a seismic shift is underway. Our prevailing model of healthcare—or rather, "sickcare"—is beginning to give way to a more forward-thinking approach: optimal health. So, what is this shift all about?
Shift from Reactive to Proactive: The Time Has Come
Presently, the healthcare system in the United States primarily functions reactively. It's like waiting until your car has a blown engine before you consider routine maintenance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2019, nearly 90% of the nation’s $3.5 trillion annual healthcare expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions.
Clearly, the reactive model is not working. Instead of addressing illness and disease after they've already taken root, isn't it time we began investing in prevention and proactive care?
Replace Sickcare with Healthcare: The Urgency of Change
The current sickcare system, focused primarily on treating disease, fails to address the root causes of many health issues—lifestyle choices. Consequently, our patients get caught in a cycle of managing symptoms rather than improving overall health.
According to a 2020 report by the Milken Institute, if the focus of U.S. healthcare shifted to prevention and addressing root causes of diseases, potential healthcare savings could amount to nearly $1.1 trillion per year. This shift isn't only about cost—it's about quality of life, productivity and longevity.
Optimal Health: A New Paradigm
Optimal health encompasses far more than mere absence of disease. It's a dynamic, multifaceted state of being that includes physical, mental and social well-being. This involves regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, quality sleep, stress management, meaningful social interactions and a sense of purpose in life.
In this new paradigm, healthcare providers (especially in the physical therapy space) are developing more services to promote optimal health and wellness, shifting from problem-centered care to person-centered care.
For instance, integrative healthcare clinics now offer services like nutritional counseling, fitness coaching, mindfulness training and stress management programs as part of their comprehensive health strategies. These services not only treat existing conditions but help individuals cultivate healthy habits and lifestyle choices that prevent disease onset.
“In my own clinics and across the many practices I work with in the U.S., we find that patients typically think they’re coming in to fix their sore shoulder or lower back. Once they’re introduced to the concept of Optimal Health and shown their own HRV and nervous system health, they have that ‘aha' moment of the critical role that wellness plays in contributing to every other function of their body. This is when they are able to see immense added value and buy-in as a partner in their own health and wellness.” -Jason Waz, Founder of NeuPTtech
Heart Rate Variability: Your Health in Numbers
One innovative tool for assessing your optimal health is Heart Rate Variability (HRV), a measurement of the variation in time between each heartbeat. This variable is controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and can be used as an indicator of our body's resilience and physiological adaptability.
A below average HRV score can indicate high sympathetic dominance, associated with increased incidence of chronic health issues, neurohormonal imbalance, poor sleep, mental stress/anxiety, poor immunity/risk of infection or illness, low energy, impaired conservation of resources and/or homeostasis restoration and increased incidence of pain/headaches (Shaffer F, Ginsberg JP. 2017).
Physical Therapy: A Proactive Approach
Once our Competitive Edge Performance Physical Therapy practice in Tampa, Florida, embraced the shift towards optimal health, we leveraged tools like HRV to tailor individual programs to bolster overall health, prevent injuries and enhance recovery. We incorporate techniques such as exercise prescription, manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, body mechanics and even nutritional advice to support the entire health spectrum of our patients.
A clinical HRV system, combined with physical therapy, delivers a more robust program of care. By assessing your HRV scores, our physical therapists can customize treatments to meet specific needs, helping patients achieve and maintain your optimal health. This proactive approach aims to prevent health issues from arising in the first place, rather than treating them after they've appeared.
The Transformational Power of Optimal Health
Imagine a world where individuals could mitigate, even prevent, chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and obesity—all major contributors to morbidity and mortality in the US (American Heart Association, 2020).
This isn't merely a fanciful dream. This is the promise of optimal health. At NeuPTtech, we can provide the tools and training to make your clinic Optimal Health-ready quickly and easily.
The transformative potential of a healthcare system that prioritizes optimal health cannot be overstated. By focusing on prevention, we can enhance the quality of life, improve productivity and even save trillions of dollars in healthcare costs (National Institute of Health, 2020).
Your Invitation to Optimal Health is Waiting
The future of physical therapy lies in promoting optimal health—proactive, preventative, personalized care that empowers individuals to take charge of their well-being. This transformation has the potential to revolutionize health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and most importantly, improve quality of life.
We all deserve to live in a state of optimal health. So, how can you get your patients started on this journey?
NeuPTtech offers clinic owners a unique opportunity. Contact us today to add a clinical HRV system to your PT programs and start offering patients a FREE optimal health screening. We deliver the tools, training and support so you can start using this screening to assess your patients’ HRV and other health indicators in order to guide them towards a personalized pathway to optimal health.
Remember, it isn't just about preventing illness, it's about enhancing your patients’ wellness, unlocking their full health potential and unleashing your own business potential!
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