In the first retrospective cohort study of the functional medicine (FM) model, Cleveland Clinic researchers found that FM was associated with improvements in health-related quality of life.
This two-year study examined 1,595 patients who were treated at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine and 5,657 patients who were seen at a family health center were given a health-related quality of life questionnaire called PROMIS®. The questionnaire measures global physical and mental health over time, including factors such as fatigue, physical function, pain, emotional well-being, and gastrointestinal issues.
The study investigated the link between the FM model of care and the model of care provided in a primary care setting and found that patients seen at the Center for Functional Medicine showed beneficial and sustainable improvements in global physical health. At 6 months, they exhibited significantly larger improvements in global physical health compared to those from the primary health setting. Around 31% of the Center for Functional Medicine patients improved their global physical health scores by 5 points or more, while 22% of the primary care patients did the same.
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