One size DOESN’T fit all…

What does individualized medicine mean? It means you receive a medical treatment plan specific to your health, goals, & abilities. It can also mean choosing treatment based on your genetics, but that’s a topic for a different day. What I want to discuss is what individualized medicine means to me and the team at Progress.

What works for your best friend, sibling, coworker, or social media influencer may not work for you and vice versa. Factors that need to be taken into consideration - current status of each persons’ sleep, mental health, employment, underlying medical diagnoses, nutrition status, level of fitness, family life, financials, personal preferences & goals etc.

It means understanding that treatment recommendations can change (and that is to be expected) based on life events, change in personal goals, an injury, side effect to medication etc. It means having a conversation. It means building a provider patient relationship. It means listening. It means empathy.

It takes time. It requires trust. It’s feeling safe to discuss sensitive or uncomfortable topics without fear of judgement. It’s being treated as an individual, not with a one size fits all approach.

That is what individualized medicine means to me.