ROMLAS Health Group Pioneers Functional Medicine in the PH
With a commitment to bring the global best practices of healthcare and wellness to the Philippines and make these available to more Filipinos, ROMLAS Health Group (RHG) has pioneered Functional Medicine in the country, a revolutionary, evidence-based, and science-driven approach that enables individuals to optimize their health even before falling ill.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), one out of three Filipinos die before the age of 70 from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) categorized under cardiovascular, diabetes, cancers, and chronic respiratory diseases. Out of all these, heart disease and cancer are the two top causes of death in the country, most cases of which are heavily influenced by lifestyle factors.
The DOH, through its F1 Plus Program, aims to have better health outcomes, a more responsive health system, and more equitable health financing, ultimately leading to universal healthcare for all Filipinos by 2030. The Philippine government has already taken initiatives towards helping prevent NCDs by taxing sweetened beverages, and imposing additional taxes on cigarettes and alcohol in the hopes of making these less accessible, thereby encouraging less consumption.
With regards to treatment, more often than not, these diseases and other illnesses are dealt with as symptoms are seen, however, health experts all agree that early detection and prevention are and will always be key.
“Chronic diseases are among the biggest healthcare challenges in the country today, and we believe that functional medicine is vital in helping address these. Our focus is on the fundamental causes of health concerns, and advocating healthier ways of living such that the approach is more preventive than reactive,” said Michael Genato, Group CEO of RHG.
“Instead of viewing health problems based on symptoms, functional medicine treats the entire body, instead of just one organ relating to a particular symptom. This way, we are able to fully assess one’s state of health and identify areas that need to be addressed. It’s not about stopping symptoms from recurring, but identifying the root cause of these issues and eliminating them at a much deeper level,” Genato explained.
RHG brings into the country advanced medical practices and technologies from the U.S., Europe and Asia. Under RHG are three pillars of functional medicine: as a practice, as a service, and as a tool.
Functional Medicine as a Practice: LifeScience Institute
Just as early detection and prevention are key, so is education. In line with this, RHG has established LifeScience Institute, which is dedicated to equipping medical practitioners with the necessary knowledge, skills, and the right mindset to better appreciate Functional Medicine.
LifeScience Institute provides medical education and training for both health practitioners and patients on the proper assessment and management of complex chronic health conditions. They also collaborate with the Institute for Functional Medicine in the realm of medical research and training to continuously advance the paradigm of functional medicine, including the areas of nutrition and lifestyle, microbiome, and toxic exposure.
Functional Medicine as a Service: LifeScience Center for Health and Wellness
Functional Medicine is an experience all on its own. In 2009, RHG established LifeScience Center for Health and Wellness in Bonifacio Global City, a venue where individuals who are interested to live in vitality can start their journey to optimum health and wellness.
The center itself sets the mood for its healthcare proposition. LifeScience Center for Health and Wellness features a warm, homey atmosphere with communal and private areas where doctors and patients can meet, and an outdoor deck surrounded by greenery where patients can claim their own patch of calm amidst the bustling city.
Each patient is received by any of the members of his/her care team of Functional Medicine trained doctor, nutritionist-dietitian, health manager, and kinesis instructor to guide them to achieve happier, healthier lives.
LifeScience is committed to providing its clients with the best care possible by accommodating the varying needs of each one. The ability for personalization is backed by the advanced functional diagnostics that lend themselves as tools for one to understand what to prioritize in accomplishing one’s best health. Whether it be comprehensive programs that will tackle every aspect of one’s health spanning nutrition, sleep, stressmanagement and exercise movement or any specific areas of concern with deficiencies or imbalances, the value in the care proposition lies in the ability to progress in one’s health status. The team is also adept in the use of genomics as a means to further personalize their clinical intervention through the client’s genetic markers. Ultimately, clients’ take the lead in taking on their healthcare plan and the LifeScience team serves to support and facilitate the further understanding of how to stay on track.
What makes LifeScience unique in today’s healthcare is how it champions genuine doctor-patient relationships. Simply put, a LifeScience care team will guide patients on what to take out, what to put in, and it will let the body’s intelligent system do the rest to truly heal.
Functional Medicine as a Tool: Global Medical Technologies
As part of RHG, Global Medical Technologies is the leading advocate and solutions provider for functional medicine practitioners in the Philippines. It provides the most up-to-date medical technologies such as functional diagnostics, vitamin and nutrient supplements, and medical platforms. GMT also acts as a bridge between partners and suppliers to create an end-to-end supply network to ease patient compliance and practitioner access.
Reliable diagnostics and medical platforms are essential in providing a comprehensive view of one’s health. Evaluating the unique metabolic, nutritional, hormonal, toxic, immune, and genetic status of each client, these tools lend a different lens in viewing the whole body’s system. This will allow physicians to provide personalized therapies– making a giant step forward in the diagnosis, treatment and even early detection of diseases.
Taken together, LifeScience Institute, LifeScience Center for Health and Wellness, and Global Medical Technologies comprise RHG in the Philippines. The patient-doctor partnership is geared toward assessing and treating the root cause of the illness allowing for optimal health. Functional medicine can aid in resolving chronic disease, getting people off of chronic medications, and helping them achieve optimum health through early detection, prevention, and management, which can go hand in hand in conventional medical practices
“A lot of people may think that health issues naturally come with age, are genetic or hereditary. What we want them to realize is that it’s not true that nothing can be done about it. With the right mindset, combined with the right program and tools, it is very possible to live long, quality lives free of health concerns we thought we couldn’t escape.
“Our mission at RHG is simple. We seek to make a real difference in how people view health and wellness through functional medicine. This is very much in line with the government’s vision of a healthy Philippines, and we are happy to do our share in bringing our local healthcare system into the 21st century,” Genato concluded.
For more information:
LifeScience Center for Health and Wellness: http://lifescience.ph
Global Medical Technologies: http://gmtmanila.com
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