What Is Functional Medicine?

A Patient-Centered Framework for Understanding Health

Functional medicine is a patient-centered approach that examines how a person's medical history, lifestyle, environment, genetics, and body systems may contribute to health concerns.

Where a symptom-focused visit might ask, “What can manage this?” a functional medicine practitioner may also ask, “Why is this happening, and how might the body's systems be connected?” These approaches can complement one another: functional medicine adds a broader lens, not a competing one.

The Body as an Interconnected System

Functional medicine views the body as an interconnected system. A practitioner may consider how multiple factors relate to one another, and to your symptoms, before forming a care plan.

What Happens During a Functional Medicine Appointment?

Appointments may be more detailed than a typical visit. At Cleveland Clinic's Center for Functional Medicine, an initial physician consultation may last approximately 60 minutes, sometimes supplemented by visits with a registered dietitian or health coach. The goal is to build a clearer picture before developing a personalized plan.

Bringing organized information helps the practitioner identify patterns and focus the appointment on your priorities.

What to Bring to Your First Appointment

Does Functional Medicine Require Extensive Testing?

What May Be Included in a Care Plan?

A personalized plan often focuses on modifiable factors: areas where meaningful change is possible. Recommendations are tailored to the individual and may evolve over time.

Functional Medicine and Conventional Care

Functional medicine is commonly used alongside, not instead of, conventional medical care. Patients may continue working with their primary care physician or specialists while consulting a functional medicine provider for an additional perspective. Cleveland Clinic describes its functional medicine program as collaborative with conventional care.

Why Do People Explore Functional Medicine?

People often consider this model when dealing with chronic, difficult-to-diagnose, or multi-symptom concerns. The appeal is typically a more comprehensive look at health, rather than addressing each symptom in isolation.

• 01

  Persistent Fatigue

  Ongoing tiredness that has not fully improved with previous treatment

• 02

  Digestive Concerns

  Chronic digestive issues that may involve more than one body system

• 03

  Hormonal & Metabolic Symptoms

  Hormonal or metabolic patterns with overlapping daily factors

• 04

  Autoimmune-Related Concerns

  Complex symptoms that may benefit from a whole-person review

What Does the Research Say?

Research on the functional medicine model is still developing. A 2019 observational study involving Cleveland Clinic patients found an association between functional medicine care and improved patient-reported quality of life. The researchers noted that prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings; the study did not prove that functional medicine caused the improvements.

• 60

  Minutes

  Typical initial consultation at Cleveland Clinic's Center for Functional Medicine

• 2019

  Study Year

  Beidelschies et al. published findings on patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes in JAMA Network Open

• 6

  References

  Credible sources including Cleveland Clinic, JAMA Network Open, and the American Board of Medical Specialties

How to Choose a Functional Medicine Provider

Because practitioners come from different professional backgrounds, evaluating qualifications carefully is important. Use the checklists below as a starting point for due diligence.