Introduction
In our quest for providing a wholesome and healing environment for patients today, some hospitals have focused on holistic approaches that encompass the body, mind and soul to incorporate external environment. The model of healing hospital paradigm takes recovery and wellness of a person’s total being into account. Contrary to traditional way of curing diseases, this model concept embellished the idea that the physical needs as well as the emotional and spiritual needs are paramount to the patients’ healing process.
Important to this paradigm are the three main components which are a loving care culture, an environment that fosters healing and an integration of technology and work design. However, one should not forget that there are multiple challenges to overcome with the implementation of the healing environment in the customary hospital setting. This paper will discuss the components of healing hospitals and their relationships to spirituality, challenges or barriers and the complexities involved in the implementation. Components of a Healing Hospital
In this part of the healing paradigm, the patient healing environment plays a pivotal role and is of utmost importance. This involves the type of care and the patient exposure to situation when receiving treatment (Samueli Institute 2010). Within the healing hospital paradigm, medication, medical intervention and procedures are not the only entities that are considered. How caregivers engage families and patients in the caring and treatment process are also taken into consideration. According to (Chapman 2007), “this concept is based on the idea that emotional and spiritual well being contributes to physical well being”.
The Bible according to St. Matthew 28:19; 28 clearly states, “the father, the son, and the holy spirit are one” therefore in comparison according to this paradigm the physical body, the mind and the spirit are integrated as one body which ultimately makes a person whole. It is with this concept in mind and its emphasis on compassionate care, love and concern that the healing paradigm continues. A strong characteristic of the healing hospital paradigm which was reiterated by the (Baptist Healing Trust, 2010) states, “Caregivers need to support the physical as well as the emotional while concentrating in eradicating the disease. The goal is psychologically preparing the patient, while providing comfort in anticipation for any treatment and procedures.
According to (Samueli Institute, 2012), practitioners should facilitate the provision of radical loving care and to obtain at whatever cost to ensure comfort, while demonstrating competency even though competency is not the only requirement”. The physical environment addressed by (Samueli Institute, 2010) succinctly stated that it adds in the healing process of the patient and of which is the second component of healing.
A vital part of this physical environment has often been forgotten. Proven scientific facts attest that regeneration of cells and rebuilding of body takes place when one rest or sleeps. However numerous hospital environments are an avalanche of noise throughout the days and nights, chatter, overhead pagers, call bells, intercoms as well as the relatives, friends and staff conversations along the hospital hallways contribute to this dilemma that facilitates the anti-healing process.
In order to foster a genuine healing environment, the barriers and challenges should be addressed so that a serene and tranquil environment for the recovery of the patient could be developed. Most hospitals may have unknowingly been unaware of the discomfort the patient experience while in their care causing a deterrent to the hospital stay. Lastly, is the component of integration of technology and work design. Under this component, healing hospitals have fostered and facilitated services to the patients by way of professionalism. Technologies have been develop, which affords satisfaction, privacy and efficient services, cost reduction as well as safety and security for the patients. Vital psychosocial needs are very important to patient recovery and comfort.
This aspect is enforced if the healing hospital allows caregivers the provision of advanced care which promotes efficient and effective healing for all patients. Barriers or Challenges in implementation of a Healing Environment The concept of a healing hospital paradigm is appealing and brings pause to the traditional way of curing and caring for patients. However it is not without its challenges. One can list the multiple challenges that will confront us like financial aspect for instance (Geffen, 2004). The provision of a healing environment creates the need for recruitment and training individuals and technology large investments on facilities. Facilities’ investments and technology will undoubtedly insure that the physical environment has been integrated in the healing process.
Re-orienting the way the culture practices and influences the hospital administrations to entertain such a project that is not economical will be of astronomical hurdle. The legal ramification poses another threat to the implementation of this concept (Geffen, 2004). Many legal challenges which include litigation rates, increasing cost of insurance premium that could possibly attract more litigation cost, as it is not yet accepted totally in health care industry. The current system operates a hierarchical level, while the healing hospital paradigm model exercises equality among staff.
Philosophical challenges also play an exceptional part in the implementations. According to (Geffen, 2004), “Proven scientific, used by traditional care model, helped to solve the patients physical need by eradicating the disease. The healing model moves beyond and addresses the emotional and spiritual need which also takes into account the subjective healing process described by the individuals. While current day model believe this practice warrants no scientific basis. The alarming question that resonated still exists on how the implementation of standards and values will be adopted by the organization because of the varied beliefs and values.
The Biblical passage found in (Jeremiah 8:22 NKJV), is the mission statement created by the writer for the Healing Hospital, “Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician? Why then is no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people? The term “Is there no balm in Gilead”, is a rhetorical question because the knowledge to provide the medicine was inadequate, it was lacking the spiritual aspect. Even though the spiritual illness was grave, the medicine was refused by the people and God would not force his healing on them. Conclusion
The concept of the healing hospital paradigm is a health care approach that seeks to culminate the holistic approach by focusing on the totality of a patient rather than simply eradicating a disease. This paper has discussed the three vital components; a loving culture, an environment that fosters healing, and an integration of technology and work design, despite the
challenges in the implementation of the healing concept.
References
- Baptist Healing Trust (2010), http://www.baptisthealingtrust.org/programs/compassionate-care-initiative
- Geffen, J. (2004). Creating Optimal Healing Enviroments.
- Insights, Challenges and Lessons Learned. Retrieved Jan 17, 2013 from www.siib.org/news173-siib/default/part/attachmentdata
- Samueli Institute. (2010). Optimal Healing Enviroment. Retrieved Jan 18, 2013 from www.siib.org/news/280-siib/programs/compassionate-attachment