Whole Person Care:  The Importance of Addressing the Mind, Body, and Spirit of a Patient

Delivering healing and compassionate care for the whole person (mind, body, and spirit) remains the primary mission of medicine and health care. Evidence shows there is a profound relationship between a patient’s spiritual life and their experience at the time of illness. Research demonstrates improved patient outcomes when spirituality is incorporated into medical practice, yet addressing spirituality is often neglected. Many health care providers simply do not have the comfort level, specific tools, and skills needed to incorporate spirituality into the hectic pace of modern-day healthcare delivery. This presentation by Dr. Mark Johnson will give an overview of this topic and efforts ongoing at the Shenandoah University School of Pharmacy to teach students the value in addressing the whole patient from a mind, body, and spirit perspective.