Partnerships

IFM forges collaborations with other leading institutions to transform healthcare worldwide.

By building partnerships with organizations that share common goals, IFM advances our mission of ensuring the widespread adoption of functional medicine. IFM is particularly committed to developing partnerships that enhance functional medicine education, clinical practice, access, economic viability, and research.

Since its inception in 1991, The Institute for Functional Medicine has inspired the development of functional medicine-related services, products, educational programs, and more (see figure)—all in response to the growing interest and demand for this clinical model, ultimately forming the functional medicine “ecosystem.” IFM isn’t capable of dedicating sufficient resources (nor in-house expertise) to simultaneously advance all of these critical components of the movement by itself. Therefore, we invite, engage, and formalize partnerships to facilitate, empower, and support our core objectives of expanding reach and capacity, improving clinical and practice skills, strengthening the evidence base, and catalyzing and integrating emerging trends.

As a result of IFM partnerships:

Numerous academic medicine, nutrition, and residency programs have participated in IFM’s education courses.
Research on patient outcomes that demonstrates the clinical and financial benefits of using the functional medicine model are in progress at major academic health centers, self-insured employers, and health systems.
The first-of-its-kind functional medicine health coaching training and certification is now available through the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy.

IFM’s 2022 Impact Report highlights our work to support the confident and competent practice of functional medicine, advance health equity, expand access, and improve the overall delivery of patient care, all of which helps ensure the widespread adoption of functional medicine as a catalyst in the transformation of healthcare.

Functional Medicine Ecosystem Graphic — IFM has inspired the development of functional medicine-related services, products, educational programs, and more—all in response to the growing interest and demand for this clinical model, ultimately forming the functional medicine "ecosystem."

Partnerships

IFM has partnered with leading organizations to improve the practice, use, and evidence supporting functional medicine. Collaborating partners include academic health centers and residency programs, university graduate programs, professional training programs, innovative technology companies, self-insured employers, international education programs, and specialized clinical training.

The following are IFM’s featured collaborations:

Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. An unprecedented collaboration to advance the practice, education, and evidence behind functional medicine. Learn More
Functional Medicine Coaching Academy. The first accredited functional medicine health coach training program. Learn More
Integrated Connections (IC). The leading platform for employment opportunities in functional medicine. Learn More
And Partnerships with Academic Institutions, Professional Training Programs, Health Systems, and International Partners.

IFM also has a long-standing corporate sponsorship and exhibiting program comprising companies that represent nutraceutical, laboratory, medical device, technology, and other components of the functional medicine ecosystem. Learn More

Strategic Partnerships and Innovations

IFM builds relationships and partnerships that:

Build on IFM’s education and clinical model
Extend and leverage tools to educate and engage patients
Serve to improve access, outcomes, and affordability of functional medicine to the public
Create practice implementation opportunities for IFM-trained practitioners
Contribute research and outcomes to the evidence base for functional medicine