The Profound Implications of the Meaning of Health for Health Care and Health Equity

Policy PointsThe meaning of health in health care remains poorly defined, defaulting to a narrow, biomedical disease model. A national dialogue could create a consensus regarding a holistic and humanized definition of health that promotes health care transformation and health equity.Key steps for operationalizing a holistic meaning of health in health care include national leadership by federal agencies, intersectoral collaborations that include diverse communities, organizational and cultural change in medical education, and implementation of high-quality primary care.The 2023 report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on achieving whole health offers recommendations for action.