FEDERAL WAY, Wash, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seeking to advance the practice, education, and evidence behind functional medicine, The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) and Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine have entered into an educational services agreement through 2024.

Since opening nine years ago, Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine has collaborated with The Institute for Functional Medicine in various ways to advance the field of functional medicine.

“Functional medicine treats root causes of disease and restores healthy function through a personalized patient experience,” states Amy R. Mack, MSES/MPA, IFM chief executive officer. “It is a vital partner to conventional medicine, as demonstrated by this groundbreaking collaborative effort, and we are thrilled to continue this important work together.”

Through this collaboration, IFM provides functional medicine education, training, and certification, in addition to other patient and practitioner resources. Cleveland Clinic delivers presentations on innovative healthcare approaches to treating complex, chronic disease to clinicians through the institute. Cleveland Clinic was the first major academic medical center in the country to open a center for functional medicine.

“We appreciate the opportunity to continue our collaboration with IFM,” said Elizabeth Bradley, M.D., medical director for Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine, “As we continue to train and educate functional medicine clinicians, I believe the practice will be incorporated into more aspects of medical care, helping to ease the burden of chronic diseases in our society.”

Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine focuses on understanding how a patient’s lifestyle, genetics, and environmental factors influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease. The center delivers care in a multidisciplinary, mostly insurance-based model and has sought to bring research to the field, publishing several papers about the impact of functional medicine on health. 

Learn more about the transformative work coming from this collaboration (https://www.ifm.org/partnerships/cleveland-clinic-center-for-functional-medicine/). 

 # # # # # 

About Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 77,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,658 salaried physicians and researchers, and 19,000 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,665-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 22 hospitals, more than 275 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2022, there were 12.8 million outpatient encounters, 303,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 270,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/ClevelandClinic. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. 

About The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)

As the leading voice for functional medicine for more than 30 years, IFM is advancing the transformation of healthcare for patients and practitioners worldwide. IFM supports the confident and competent practice of functional medicine through high-quality education and certification programs; partnerships across medical disciplines; and advocating on behalf of functional medicine clinicians and patients around the globe. IFM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the only organization providing functional medicine education and certification programs that is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). For more information, please visit IFM.org.

About Functional Medicine

As a catalyst in the transformation of healthcare, functional medicine treats root causes of disease and restores healthy function through a personalized patient experience. From chronic illness to disease prevention, functional medicine systematically addresses the unique physical, mental, and emotional needs of all patients. By understanding each patient’s genetic, environmental, and lifestyle influences, functional medicine is a vital partner to conventional medicine that delivers transformative care to promote optimal health and well-being.  

Alyssa Parker
The Institute for Functional Medicine
505.780.8716
media@ifm.org