Background: As community attitudes develop, health care costs spiral, and evidence accumulates, the health care system is steadily recognising the importance of moving toward more holistic and wellness based models. Such models have been shown to reduce costs and lead to better therapeutic outcomes.
Objective: This article discusses the ESSENCE model of health care and its application to clinical scenarios.
Discussion: The ESSENCE model is the basis for the Health Enhancement Program taught as core curriculum for all medical students at Monash University (Victoria). The model forms a useful structure upon which educational, preventive and therapeutic approaches can be built, and is readily adaptable for health professionals, individual patients, targeted groups, practice populations or public health campaigns.