Date of this Version

12-3-2025

Document Type

DNP Project

Abstract

This quality improvement project examines how functional medicine education affects patients' understanding and quality of life in primary care settings in South Florida. The patient-centered approach of functional medicine addresses the root causes of illness through lifestyle and nutritional interventions to improve self-care and quality of life. Despite the ongoing evidence supporting functional medicine, its benefits have not substantially reached primary care patients who could use this knowledge to make better health choices. The research team developed an educational program to teach patients about functional medicine through a structured learning approach. Participants received a pre-survey before watching a 10-minute narrated PowerPoint presentation on functional medicine principles, followed by a post-survey. Participants received a follow-up phone call 1 month after the intervention to determine whether their acquired knowledge improved their quality of life. The study evaluated changes in patient knowledge and reported improvements in quality of life, as measured through self-assessment, after receiving functional medicine education. The results show that after the educational intervention, patients better understand functional medicine, take greater responsibility for their health through self-care practices, and develop greater confidence in their ability to change their lifestyle and nutrition to improve their health and quality of life. The research results help healthcare providers understand how to implement functional medicine practices in primary care settings for patients with chronic diseases who need lifestyle-based treatment approaches. The knowledge-based intervention enables patients to make lasting behavioral changes, leading to better health outcomes and supporting a more enduring healthcare delivery system.

The study demonstrates how advanced practice nurses can use their leadership to create educational programs that connect patient needs to person-centered healthcare delivery. The implementation of functional medicine education in primary care settings creates an innovative approach to boost wellness and enhance the quality of life for various patient groups.

Keywords: primary care, functional medicine, patient education, quality of life, lifestyle interventions, self-care.

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