When we refer to integrated health, we’re talking about building genuine partnerships across disciplines, rooted in purpose and common goals.

When health care takes an approach that isn’t founded on the principles of integrated health, we are treating a symptom, not solving a problem.

Integrated health is an effort to promote health and well-being through consideration of all of the components that affect human and environmental health. Given that health involves a variety of factors (psychological, biological, environmental, social, communal, environmental, economic and more), this approach requires extensive collaboration across disciplines — a hallmark of Oregon State University, where we recognize human health is inextricably linked to the health of the planet and the health of the society.

An integrated health approach results in extraordinary changes across an entire community, including improved access to services; fewer unnecessary hospitalizations and readmissions; better adherence to treatment; increased patient satisfaction, health literacy and self-care; and greater job satisfaction for health workers.

By training the next generation of public health and human science professionals to approach health this way, the college will revolutionize health in the United States and around the world.

Goals to support our Integrated Health Initiative

• President and/or Provost Collaboration Incentive Funding
• Common spaces/Labs – building “Research Hub”
• Pilot research funding – 20 to 40 new innovative research projects
• Administrative/structure support – Director of Integrated Health Sciences Initiative  
• Food Insecurity Pilot. Competitive Cluster Hires that work across disciplines (4-5 faculty in interdisciplinary science, one dedicated to interdisciplinary teaching)
• Interdisciplinary research fellowships and post-docs to span gaps between colleges/disciplines