Whole Health Options and Pain Education (wHOPE): A Pragmatic Trial Comparing Whole Health Team vs Primary Care Group Education to Promote Nonpharmacological Strategies to Improve Pain, Functioning, and Quality of Life in Veterans—Rationale, Methods, and Implementation
wHOPE is a pragmatic randomized trial testing the VA Whole Health model for chronic pain: a Whole Health Team (medical provider, integrative health provider, and Whole Health coach) versus primary care group education versus usual care, in 750 veterans, measuring how much pain interferes with daily functioning rather than pain intensity alone.
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A whole-health approach treats chronic pain as more than a symptom — pairing medical care with movement, mindfulness, and coaching. The wHOPE trial is testing exactly this in 750 veterans, and the strategies apply well beyond the VA.
Traditional care asks what's wrong and treats it. Whole person health asks what matters to you and builds around it. They aren't rivals — but the differences in question, team, and goal change how care actually feels and works.