Why lifestyle medicine is an urgent priority

<p>"Lifestyle medicine’s foundational pillars include a specialized look into diet, physical activity, sleep, stress, mood, substance use, and relationships. Creating a patient-centered plan of care based on these areas are proven successful in preventing, treating, and reversing chronic diseases.</p> <p>Some may say that health care providers do not have time to focus on intensive lifestyle modification in their visits with patients. This is true in the current fee-for-service, physician-dominated care delivery model.</p> <p>But to be successful in obtaining shared-cost savings in the value-based care and as accountable care organizations, it is urgent to shift to utilizing more nurse practitioners, dietitians, nurses, social workers, and health coaches in chronic disease treatment and prevention.</p> <p>This makes it possible to reduce the social and economic impact that many chronic illnesses place on individuals, the health care system, and society.</p> <p>There is indeed a better way to better health for all Americans."</p> <p><a href= "https://doctors.rush.edu/details/17316?theme=dir_rushumc" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">Elizabeth Simkus</a> is a nurse practitioner.</p> <p>She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "<a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/11/its-a-lifestyle-adopting-behavioral-approach-to-health-care-is-urgent.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">It’s a lifestyle: Adopting a behavioral approach to health care is urgent</a>."</p> <p><strong>Reflect and <a href="https://earnc.me/WJ3Fdx" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME</a> for this episode.</strong></p>