UH Connor Integrative Health Network is now UH Connor Whole Health

Demand for evidence-based services fuels growth of the program

UH Clinical Update | December 2021

Spurred by a generous gift from Sara and Chris Connor, the UH Connor Integrative Health Network began as a service provided at UH Ahuja Medical Center. Over the past ten years, demand for the evidenced-based services has spurred expansion out of UH Ahuja to five locations across Northeast Ohio. More than 60 caregivers, including 36 clinicians, provide whole health services, including integrative medicine, acupuncture and chiropractic care.

The Whole Health approach prioritizes compassionate care centered on the patient’s entire well-being. The healthcare provider’s goal is to equip and empower each patient to take charge of their physical, mental, and spiritual health in order to live a full and meaningful life. Linking the patient’s larger purpose and life goals to their lifestyle allows clinical services, integrative medicine, and well-being programs to be delivered in a way that increases collaboration, motivation, and adherence to self-care and clinical needs. Whole Health shifts the conversation from “what is the matter with you” to “what matters to you,” fostering a patient-centered approach that leads to quality experiences and better results.

“UH’s goal is to be the most trusted healthcare partner in Northeast Ohio and UH Connor Whole Health furthers that objective because the basis of our program is relationship-based,” explained Francoise Adan, MD, UH Chief Whole Health and Well-being Officer and Director of UH Connor Whole Health. “The Whole Health approach has also been shown to have a positive impact on a healthcare system’s employee well-being with lower turnover, greater job satisfaction, and reduced burnout.”

“The pandemic has caused unprecedented stress in our lives and science has proven that stress leads to and exacerbates numerous health issues,” Dr. Adan continued. “I am incredibly proud of our team for their resourcefulness and resilience in reimagining the way we have cared for the community and our own UH caregivers. Our goal is to build on the extremely successful evidence-based programs we’ve already deployed to ensure continuous improvement in delivery, caregiver and patient satisfaction, positive health outcomes, and patient engagement with the UH system.”

UH Connor Whole Health services include acupuncture, art therapy, chiropractic, guided imagery, integrative medicine/lifestyle medicine consultation, massage therapy, meditation, mindfulness, music therapy, osteopathic sports rehabilitation, pediatric integrative medicine consultation, stress management and resilience training workshops and yoga. Providers may refer patients by placing a referral order for “Connor” in the AEMR system, or by emailing referrals to ConnorWholeHealth@uhhospitals.org.

For more information, visit UH Hospitals.org/ConnorWholeHealth.