A patient’s beliefs about life and health need to define the care he / she receives. When this concept was under discussion during a planning meeting at BodhiCare, an emergency physician (MD) said that he did not “get that” until he had a patient come in whose religious beliefs prevented any kind of blood transfusion. This patient needed a blood transfusion; however, the physician figured out an alternate way to give the patient what was needed to recover from his health crisis without giving a blood transfusion. A naturopathic doctor (ND) in the meeting said he had similar experiences. Whether it is a religious, cultural or personal belief about health and life, care needs to conform to what a patient believes will restore or maintain health. One of the dictionary definitions for conform is “to act in harmony.”
Health is the result of harmony of energies. For each of us harmony is achieved through unique journeys and with varying methods, treatments and therapies. Beliefs contribute to one’s harmony (or lack of). When care providers seek to understand how to harmonize their approach to care with the beliefs of a patient, health and trust in the physician are the outcomes.
For more on this topic read Anatomy of An Illness by Norman Cousins.