Healthcare has become individualized
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Custom healthcare has increased in popularity as healthcare consumers want a unique approach to preventive health.
“As the patient sits in your chair and you get to know them, [the treatment protocol needed] may not fit the guidelines,” said Candice Job, senior clinical director and family nurse practitioner at Rochester Regional Health.
Her training in nursing influences her personalized approach to patient care. This can mean considering the complaint patients present and what else is going on in their lives that may contribute to these symptoms.
“You hear a lot in the media of patients not feeling heard,” Job said. “We come into the room with our own agenda. Our patients are telling us what’s affecting our health the most and we need to listen.”
She said that technology like smart watches is helping patients self-monitor their health information and providing information that care providers can use to help form a plan for improving their health.
“We’ll see more of that as the tech augments healthcare, where we can personalize using real-time data on our patients,” she said.
Genetic testing — an emerging area of healthcare — is also helping patients develop with their providers preventive healthcare goals.
Kimberly Whitcomb, a one-on-one personal trainer in Fairport and Wolcott, helps her clients reach their personal goals, whether it’s for a life event such as a wedding; fitness goals like weight loss or greater upper body strength; or training related to a fitness event like a marathon.
Some people simply want more functional fitness so they can better take care of their children or grandchildren, she said.
“People want to maximize the quality of life,” Whitcomb said. “There are people who wait until later in life to start working out and they’re amazed and how much it can help them perform better in everyday life.”
Clients like that they don’t have to plan workouts and that they have a specific time scheduled, which builds in accountability. Because it’s tailored to each client, Whitcomb said that they receive better results. “It’s safer and more effective. People use proper form and that helps prevent injury.”
“My favorite thing is each person is different and they bring a new perspective to the table,” Whitcomb said. “You have to think on your feet and always be prepared to address hurts or discomfort clients have or any adjustments clients may need to safely move forward.”
Zendi Moldenhauer, Ph.D., pediatric nurse practitioner, nurse practitioner in psychiatry and registered nurse who is board-certified in functional medicine, comes from a background of medical pediatrics and psychiatry. She said that in mental health, an individualized approach works best because “if you look at 20 people with depression, they may have entirely different reasons for depression.”
She believes that her approach has helped her in aiding clients in weaning off psychiatric medication because they’re solving problems together instead of only managing symptoms, a strategy rooted in individualized care.
Laura Gardinier, dietitian and clinical nutrition manager at Rochester Regional Health, thinks that patients want an individualized approach because they’ve become frustrated with long wait times to get scheduled with a provider and rushed appointments.
“People want control over their healthcare,” she said.
She views technology as an aide for receiving individualized care as patients can use apps to use personal data to develop healthcare strategies.
“Wellness is becoming a status,” Gardinier said. “It’s come a long way. There are so many influencers. But we support people seeing a credible professional rather than following influencers who may not have a medical background. The whole industry is saturated with so many diets and conflicting information. A lot of these contradict each other. Patients want accurate data and not something that’s conflicting.”
She encourages patients to discuss their use of health apps with providers.
At Athena Direct Primary Care & Lifestyle Medicine in Pittsford, Laura Petrescu, MD said that “corporate medicine has become very impersonal, mostly non-physician-driven, protocol-based, cookie cutter style care. We value each patient as a unique person with special bio-psycho-social values and needs. We take the time to listen and develop a treatment plan that starts with patients’ goals and priorities.”
Basing healthcare in the patient-physician relationship is key for Athena, as it builds trust and helps the two parties to work together. Petrescu said that people know their own bodies and learning about evidence-based practices can help patients achieve the best outcomes.
“We make use of the most advanced technologies, biometrics and biomarker testing to help us guide treatment decisions tailored to each patient’s individual needs,” she said. “We address the root cause of their disease by evaluating their diet and lifestyle changes necessary to achieve optimal health.”
By focusing on whole-person care and helping patients learn about their symptoms and what causes them, Athena can help patients better improve their state of wellness.
Understanding Who the Patients Are
Physician Rutvic Amin operates Rainari Health in Rochester and bases personalized medicine on knowing the patient first “and building health around their life, not around a template or algorithm,” he said.
“Before we talk about labs or diagnoses, I want to understand who they are. What is their home life like? Their work life? Where do they feel their mental health is right now? What stressors are they dealing with—family relationships, a sick parent, a pet’s illness, work pressure? And just as important, how do they interpret their challenges, and what have they already tried to manage them?”
In addition to leading a healthy lifestyle of eating right and exercising, Amin also looks at mental health and emotional health—aspects of health that can undermine overall health.
“Listening, believing patients, and genuinely caring is where it starts,” he added. “From there, we can work together as a team to build a healthier, better life.”
He also looks at personal health history and family health history and advocates so patients can receive genetic testing and cancer screening as needed.
“Population-level guidelines aren’t designed for individuals,” Amin said. “Not everyone should get advanced testing like a whole-body MRI, but for the right patient—someone who understands the risks of incidental findings and has a clear plan—it can be very valuable. Medicine evolves. We didn’t routinely do mammograms or coronary calcium scoring in the past; now we do, because earlier detection matters.”
His practice includes discussing healthy longevity and, for those interested, anti-aging strategies. For each of his health initiatives, it’s vital to keep his interactions with patients personalized.
“I’ve intentionally moved away from the informalities of modern medicine—rushed visits, checklists, and generic advice—and back toward actually knowing the person in front of me,” Amin added.