Seeing Health in All Its Dimensions: Matrix Medical Network Hosts Whole-Person Care Panel Discussion

During a recent panel discussion at the RISE National Conference, Matrix Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mike Cantor moderated a thought-provoking panel discussion focused on the topic of whole-person care and the impact of Medicare Advantage trends on healthcare.

Whole person care is a clinical care model focused on assessing and addressing a person’s physical, emotional, spiritual and social care needs and connecting them to the right providers and resources. It requires developing a holistic view of the patient that is often best acquired in the home, or wherever they live. As an industry, we need to accelerate our focus on home-based care and understand that doing more of the same is not an option because:

• The US senior population has exploded.
• Medicare spending is increasing at an unprecedented rate.
• National debt threatening the federal government’s ability to fund care.
• Health systems, providers and care facilities are not prepared.

Instead, we’ll look to whole person care to deliver lower costs, higher quality, better patient experiences, increased provider satisfaction, and equitable access and provision of care. Zeev Neuwirth, MD, author and award-winning podcaster, and C-Suite leaders from Health Alliance Plan, Highmark Health and ModivCare joined the panel to share insights on the role of member engagement, transparency, technology and connectivity to community services that will enable the delivery of whole person care.

Dr. Neuwirth spoke about how whole person care improves outcomes and health disparities, while also influencing funding for the government at all levels. A couple examples included that CMS is already moving toward whole person care language, and the VA has a whole person care initiative with the National Academy of Medicine that has given the recommendation to Congress that the rest of healthcare in the US should adopt this model. Ultimately, it’s not if we adopt the holistic care model, but how quickly we can adopt it in this country.

Dr. Neuwirth also highlighted the critical role of our Matrix clinicians in building trust with patients while in their home, and how vital trust is in the ability to deliver high-quality whole person care. In particular, patients who are at high-risk for chronic conditions, living in rural areas or lacking access to physical, emotional, spiritual and social care resources will be positively impacted by this model of care.

Another topic that ran throughout the discussion was using technology to achieve scale and efficiency. Technology will continue to assist in supporting whole person care by integrating the member experience and providing the right services to the right person at the right time. It will also allow clinicians to follow patients through their journey to see if they’re improving, and to connect them with community services that can surround them with a holistic care approach.

Wrapping up the lively discussion, Dr. Cantor spoke about caring for people where they are through whole person care models that also continue to expand provider partnerships vs. the approach of one health plan, one health system, one doctor at a time.