New year, new beginnings in many ways. We are
right now travelling the road less travelled. For those of you who have been on
the road for a bit, you already know that. For those new, you will learn to
love the ride! And yes, you are in the driver seat, now you have to decide
where you will go!
Like any great journey, it usually goes a bit
smoother if you have a map, or plan. For this one, it is a bit like Columbus,
some of us set sail without a clear idea of exactly what we will find, though
knowing we have to do this, that perhaps the world is not flat! Some of us were
born to do this. That is the story for me as I move forward, this is my destiny.
Do not get me wrong, I have ended up in places had I had a map I would not have
gone to, though I may have missed part of the adventure, the knowing and would
have lost something valuable on the path. In the last few years I started to
get discouraged, question if what I knew to be true was not yet to be revealed,
only to now see it was needed to help me reaffirm what I know is my destiny. My
belief and knowledge of whom I am and where we need to go has not waived, even
when my will did. You may ask why I am telling you this. Because I am sure
before you are done with things, you too will question if you are up to the
task, and I can tell you – YOU ARE! Stay on this path, be open to the ideas,
and in the end our healthcare system in Canada will prosper and health will not
be focused on disease (or dis-ease), though on healing and wellness (even in
the face of death).
Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve
our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Elements of our healthcare system are the problem, so we need to
shift in the way we approach the future of healthcare. Now how will we achieve
this you ask – through a paradigm shift.
A paradigm shift is a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.
In order to transform our healthcare system we will need to embrace a change,
or at least turn 60 to 90 degrees away from the general principles that rule
our conventional, allopathic healthcare system of today.
An integrative healthcare approach to the
delivery of care will draw on the best that the scientific approach can bring,
though we will need to refocus on:
·
Caring for the whole person (holism) –
focusing on mind-body-spirit of
persons.
·
The practitioner-patient
relationship will be key with an importance placed on caring, compassion,
health and wellness.
·
The patient
in the driver seat of care, at least the one to determine the route!
·
A truly multi-disciplinary
approach to care.
·
Willingness to use various complementary therapies, which are viewed as unconventional modalities of care.
·
Scientific
evaluation or research – a new look on how to study this approach.
Implementing an integrative approach will involve
these key concepts, and likely more. In Part 2, I will start the discussion
about these concepts. For now this is a brief introduction to some of the basic
components this author has seen used today with various groups, persons, or
organizations moving to an integrative model of care. These are also
foundational elements of a holistic nursing practice and philosophy, for which
I am familiar. I hope to peak your interest in this discussion, to challenge
some of your core concepts perhaps, and invite you to embrace a new path, one
that will eventually move us in the right direction towards health – for
patients and our healthcare system as a whole!
Thanks for tuning in, and I look forward to
discussing this more in Part 2.
Blessings,
in love and in light, Namasté, Kim
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