Healing Hospitals
Healing Hospital: A Daring Paradigm
Meghan Weir
Grand Canyon University
Spirituality in Health Care
HLT-310V
Kristan Farley
May 16, 2013
Healing Hospital: A Daring Paradigm
As the health care atmosphere changes, there has been a growing interest to closely examine how spirituality, values, and morals contribute to patient outcomes; specifically what it means to truly heal a patient. In the past, medical care was mostly geared towards curing our patients and their illnesses physically. More recently, researchers have begun to investigate the psychological factors that contribute to a patient’s overall health and wellness in an attempt to provide more holistic medical care. To truly heal a person, it has been recognized that the medical field must incorporate the mind, body, and spirit when caring for patients in order to provide an atmosphere where patients can feel comfortable, safe, and at peace. Several hospitals throughout the United States, recognized as Healing Hospitals, have embraced this concept in an effort to promote healing both externally and internally for each patient individually, in an effort to achieve a more holistic approach to current medical care.
A Healing Hospital works to provide an environment that promotes peace and tranquility in order to address the spiritual and emotional needs of their patients in addition to providing state of the art medical care and treatment. “Among other things, they’re taking to heart ideas from environmental psychology, sociology, geography, architecture, interior design, nursing, medicine, and public health research that demonstrate how specific design changes in health care environments can reduce stress and alleviate the physical outcomes associated with it” (Zborowsky & Kreitzer, 2008). These hospitals operate based on three key components that work together to address a patient’s spiritual needs throughout the healing process. The first component consists of creating a physical
Meghan Weir
Grand Canyon University
Spirituality in Health Care
HLT-310V
Kristan Farley
May 16, 2013
Healing Hospital: A Daring Paradigm
As the health care atmosphere changes, there has been a growing interest to closely examine how spirituality, values, and morals contribute to patient outcomes; specifically what it means to truly heal a patient. In the past, medical care was mostly geared towards curing our patients and their illnesses physically. More recently, researchers have begun to investigate the psychological factors that contribute to a patient’s overall health and wellness in an attempt to provide more holistic medical care. To truly heal a person, it has been recognized that the medical field must incorporate the mind, body, and spirit when caring for patients in order to provide an atmosphere where patients can feel comfortable, safe, and at peace. Several hospitals throughout the United States, recognized as Healing Hospitals, have embraced this concept in an effort to promote healing both externally and internally for each patient individually, in an effort to achieve a more holistic approach to current medical care.
A Healing Hospital works to provide an environment that promotes peace and tranquility in order to address the spiritual and emotional needs of their patients in addition to providing state of the art medical care and treatment. “Among other things, they’re taking to heart ideas from environmental psychology, sociology, geography, architecture, interior design, nursing, medicine, and public health research that demonstrate how specific design changes in health care environments can reduce stress and alleviate the physical outcomes associated with it” (Zborowsky & Kreitzer, 2008). These hospitals operate based on three key components that work together to address a patient’s spiritual needs throughout the healing process. The first component consists of creating a physical
References: Eberst, L. (2008, September 17). Gilbert mercy’s ’healing’ runs deep. Chandler Citizen Reporter. Retrieved from http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/citizen/articles/2008/09/17/20080917gr-askexpert0917.html?nclick_check=1 Geimer-Flanders, J. (2009). Creating a healing environment: rationale and research overview. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.ccjm.org/content/76/Suppl_2/S66.full Kreitzer, M. (2012, May 25). What is happening in healthcare settings today. University of Minnesota. Retrieved from http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/healing-environment/what-happening-healthcare-settings-today Zborowsky, T., & Kreitzer, M. (2008, March). Creating optimal healing environments in a health care setting. Minnesota Medical Association. Retrieved from http://www.minnesotamedicine.com/CurrentIssue/ClinicalZborowskyMarch2008/tabid/2489/Default.aspx