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Center for Health Optimization & Implementation Research

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Whole Health to Address Unmet Needs of Veterans

Whole Health Circle of Health featuring 'Me' in the circle with various spheres of health around it, including Moving the Body, Surroundings, Personal Development, Food & Drink, Recharge, Family Friends & Coworkers, Spirit & Soul, and Power of the Mind


Whole Health care is centered around “what matters most” to a Veteran. It is a move away from a disease-focused care model and towards one that is more wholistic and focused on overall life satisfaction and ability to engage in everyday activities that are meaningful to the individual. A Whole Health System of Care is designed to 1) Engage Veterans by helping them identify what matters most and develop personal health goals, 2) Empower Veterans through clinical care aligned with those goals, and 3) Equip Veterans to improve well-being through coaching and complementary integrative health (things like acupuncture and massage). VA Directives call for Whole Health in every VA medical center and for all Veterans to receive Veteran-centric care aligned with their goals, preferences, and priorities.

Our research foci in this area include: 

  • Evaluating the state of Whole Health care provided to socially and economically marginalized Veterans
  • Identifying key areas for improving integration of Whole Health components into services provided to Veterans with social and economic needs
  • Co-designing and testing tailored Whole Health interventions to address social and economic needs
  • Developing and assessing implementation strategies to support the adoption of tailored approaches to providing Whole Health care and services

Example Whole Health-Centered research projects at CHOIR: 

  • Tailored peer support for Veterans returning to community settings after incarceration
  • Identifying unmet needs among Veterans living in rural areas and co-designing interventions to meet those needs
  • Developing a Blueprint to Implement Whole Health Clinical Care for Veterans with HIV
  • Recovering from intimate partner violence through strengths and empowerment
  • Whole Health Domiciliary Care for Veterans Experiencing Homelessness

Examples of products from CHOIR Whole Health research: 

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