The Department of Veterans Affairs Circle of Health empowers veterans to take charge of their health and well-being through four elements.
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers a whole health approach for veterans that empowers them to take charge of their health and well-being. This holistic, proactive, patient-centered health care journey includes health coaches and complimentary and integrative health modalities, or what the VA calls a Circle of Health.
The four elements of the Circle of Health are:
Me. At the center of the circle is “Me.” You start in the middle by saying, "I am the expert on my life, values, goals, and priorities. Only I can know why I want my health.” Your whole health journey begins with what matters to you.
Self care. You have the power to impact your well-being. Areas of self-care can be food or diet, personal development, exercise, mindful awareness and more.
Professional care. Preventive and conventional care from the VA includes immunizations, medicines and other clinical care. Complementary medicine and care include acupuncture, meditation, yoga, massage for treatment, clinical hypnosis.
Community. The VA says that just as there is a “Me” at the center of the circle, there is a “We” that enfolds it. Your community includes those you rely on and those who rely on you.
Learn more about starting your whole health journey at va.gov/wholehealth.
“This all came about because of the opioid reduction act,” said Ron Rutherford, Lead, Whole Health Outreach VA Office of Patient Centered Care & Cultural Transformation, during a veteran service organization call. “Veterans were looking for ways to take less pain medications. A lot of veterans were out paying for these integrative health approaches themselves on their own dime. These are things that have a lot of evidence behind them. Our veterans were having great success with them.”
Read testimonials from veterans following a whole health approach to their VA care.
- Veterans Healthcare