Westfield Health Bulletin: Family doctors example reminds us what holistic care is [Video]

Last week, I wrote about bereavement care for families left behind. The day the article was printed, I attended a funeral of a family friend in the eastern side of the state. He was a well-respected 95-year-old true gentleman who practiced medicine for over 50 years. After listening to the words spoken at the service, I realized how the context of my article from the previous week has become complicated because of the tangled web of medical care and insurance companies. The solution is pure and simple.

In describing his practice of medicine, it was said that he treated the whole patient, not just the medical problem. And not only did he treat the whole patient, but the whole family, as well. Holistic care is caring for the psychosocial, emotional, spiritual and physical person. This concept is a fundamental part of nursing. The physician care delivery approach is a strong biomedical focus. But this does not preclude a doctor from …