John B. Hinckley, doctor of osteopathic medicine, has opened a new practice, Hinckley Functional Medicine, in the O’Donnell Medical Building in Santa Rosa Beach.

Hinckley received his degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1997; was an emergency physician at Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, for 14 years; served for more than a decade as a clinical professor of emergency medicine at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine; and has practiced in several urgent care settings. He also has extensive training in functional medicine, which will be the focus of his new practice.

Functional medicine addresses a key issue in health care today: improving the management of complex, chronic diseases by using emerging research to identify effective interventions and integrate those approaches in patient care. If medicine begins with an understanding of the causes, prevention and treatment of chronic disease, Hinckley says. Using an integrative, science-based approach, the functional medicine practitioner treats illness and promotes wellness by focusing on the biochemically unique aspects of each patient and individually tailoring interventions to restore physiological, psychological and structural balance.

“Offering a leading-edge approach to health care on the Emerald Coast is at the core of our mission,” he says. “We understand that modifiable diets and lifestyles can account for more than 70 percent of stroke, colon cancer, coronary artery disease and adult-onset diabetes. Therefore at Hinckley Functional Medicine, we want to look at providing care differently, with the goal of changing the outcome of diseases through proactive treatment and prevention, which ultimately can lead to a longer and higher-quality life for our patients.”

Hinckley Functional Medicine is currently accepting new patients. For appointments, call 850-213-2384. For more information about the practice and functional medicine, visit HinckleyFunctionalMedicine.com.