Our Vision at Medical Wellness Association
At the heart of the Medical Wellness Association (MWA) lies a vision to integrate and enhance the practices of medical and wellness professionals. Dr. Christopher Breuleux, the founder and president of MWA, shares his insights and motivations behind establishing the organization and outlines its benefits for both the wellness and medical communities.
Inspiration for Founding MWA
Dr. Breuleux was inspired to create the Medical Wellness Association after recognizing a significant gap in the healthcare system. He observed a lack of integration, communication, and shared knowledge among various medical disciplines. Despite his 30 years of experience in healthcare, he was struck by how siloed the different sectors were.
“Our goal is to enhance patient care by informing members of the professional health community about emerging practices that may have efficacy in their own clinical practices, again, with patient well-being as the primary focus,” says Breuleux. The vision for MWA is to bridge these gaps and foster a collaborative environment where medical and wellness practitioners can join forces to improve professional support, outcomes, and consumer services.
The Need for MWA
While there are numerous professional and trade organizations, Breuleux points out that most of these groups focus on specific issues within their own domains. They rarely promote integration, collaboration, or partnership among various medical wellness services. This is where MWA stands out.
“There is a great need for working together to improve quality and outcome standards in our fast-paced evolving industry,” Breuleux emphasizes. The association aims to improve medical and wellness outcomes, benefiting everyone from providers to patients and their families.
Who Benefits from Joining MWA?
Membership in MWA is advantageous for a wide range of health and wellness professionals. The association welcomes physicians, chiropractors, acupuncturists, naturopaths, osteopaths, nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists, and dietitians. Wellness practitioners such as massage therapists, health educators, counselors, physiologists, exercise technicians, and personal trainers also find value in joining.
By promoting a cross-disciplinary approach to personal well-being, MWA ensures that diverse organizations benefit from its initiatives. These include clinics, universities, hospitals, and clubs, as well as not-for-profit groups like the American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, and the YMCA.
Goals of MWA
Dr. Breuleux outlines several professional goals for MWA, including:
- Defining, promoting, and integrating wellness practices and services within clinical settings
- Promoting the integration of medical, complementary, and alternative therapies when appropriate
- Facilitating professional partnerships and coalitions to further clinical integration
- Providing professional leadership and education for medical wellness
- Developing standards, guidelines, and credentialing programs
- Advancing medical wellness leadership excellence and recognition
- Enhancing networking and professional development opportunities
- Strengthening, supporting, and diversifying membership and partners
- Collaborating and partnering with high-quality providers and organizations
Challenges in the Allied Health Field
One of the main challenges facing the allied health field today is overcoming the bias of “practice silos.” Dr. Breuleux notes that evidence-based practices are sometimes dismissed purely based on the clinical approach, ignoring an essential component of patient care: the patient’s informed decision-making, including their preferences and expectations.
“We need to be open to new approaches, with our first goal being ‘primum non nocere’ (‘first do no harm’), and our second, to improve patients’ health status and quality of life,” Dr. Breuleux asserts. It’s crucial for primary practitioners to remain open-minded about complementary approaches, and for complementary practitioners to respect conventional methods, ensuring the best outcomes for patients.
The Medical Wellness Association, under the leadership of Dr. Christopher Breuleux, seeks to transform the landscape of healthcare by promoting collaboration, integration, and professional development across medical and wellness disciplines. By fostering a community where practitioners can share knowledge and support each other, MWA aims to enhance the quality of care and improve patient outcomes, ultimately advancing the field of medical wellness.