Healing, a Concept Analysis

Healing is a commonly used term, and yet rigorous research on the definition and meaning of healing has been published infrequently, and understanding of the concept remains confusing and inexact.1 Clinicians and patients are overwhelmed with a healthcare system focused on disease over health creation, reductionist, fragmented, costly, and often ineffective. In response, there has been an increasing recognition that quality healthcare and the delivery of that care need to take a more holistic, patient-centric approach, an approach that emphasizes healing as important as curing. In 2004, Samueli Institute, Alexandria, Virginia, proposed a whole-system, healing-focused framework for delivering care and coined the term optimal healing environments (OHE). An OHE is comprised of people in relationships, their health-creating and healing behaviors, and the surrounding physical environment. An OHE supports and stimulates patient healing by addressing the social, psychological, physical, spiritual, and behavioral...