HealthCare System Member Founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital

January, 2001

Modern Western medical practices have become progressively influenced by a business focus on bottom line economics. One victim of this money-based focus is the time that practitioners spend with patients. Education about health takes time. Indeed, clinicians know that effective education also takes repetition, which takes more time.

In a medical system based on technological and pharmaceutical tools, and with practitioner-patient interaction time shrinking, people are frequently being told "You must take responsibility for your own health." After years of hearing from the health care system that: "We will fix you, just show up, pay your bills, and give us permission," for many, taking responsibility for their own health is frightening. Most people do not have the knowledge or personal support to take responsibility for their own health care.

For more than 20 years, The New England School of Whole Health Education, founded and led by Dr. Georgianna Donadio, has been certifying educators who have learned to assist people in gaining the knowledge needed to take responsibility for their own health.

Whole Health Education practitioners utilize deep, respectful listening, non-judgmental interaction and invitational learning to present people with the big picture of their condition, even looking at nutritional, spiritual and environmental aspects of wellness. The educator then aids the patient in pursuing any areas of interest about their condition, and helps the patient with whatever path the patient and his or her practitioners seek to follow. The educator does not decide on therapy, but can help people get the information necessary to take more responsibility in decision making, and in following a course of therapy.

At the Union Hospital, Whole Health Education fits the hospital's focus on returning people and human interaction in the center of the healing process. In 1999, the Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation and The New England School of Whole Health Education undertook a pilot program using Whole Health Education with 50 patients. The pilot program demonstrated clearly that Whole Health Education was not only valuable but also desirable in the journey of cardiac patients towards wellness. Every patient said "No one has ever listened to me with such respect and attention." Patients who presented behavior problems for staff became cooperative and related in a manner serving everyone in a much better fashion. The educators had a lot of time with patients: time that patients valued in itself, apart from the informational content. That time allowed patients to see their condition more clearly and to work out barriers to health improvement. The relationship of educator with patient gave people a behavior model that with the content of the education allowed for persistent lifestyle changes. The combination of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Whole Health Education allowed repetitive exposure of patients to information allowing better decisions about health creating behavior.

Other patients, with behavior problems such as alcohol abuse have been exposed to Whole Health Education at the hospital. In each case, the invitational, respectful attitude of the educators has been instrumental in patient behavior changes leading towards wellness.

Whole Health Education is a model of education that allows time with patients, something progressively missing from modern Western health care. It allows relationship skill building in an overt way. It is totally supportive, not expensive, and incredibly effective. It invites people to learn rather than directing them as to what to do. It values participation and useful behavior rather than moralizing about a particular course of action. It is a model for all relationships. Here is a method of education that can help to transform medical care for both patients and caregivers, allowing the healing experience to once more be a journey towards wellness for all.

As a physician, I find that Whole Health Educators are incredibly supportive in my attempts to help patients regain or maintain wellness. They reinforce knowledge, motivate patient behavior, and have the time to remove barriers to wellness. Whole Health Education is very potent, valuable tool in helping patients transform their lives. It can be a very effective ally In the health care practitioner's efforts for patients. We will continue to utilize Whole Health Education at Union Hospital in service to patients, health care professionals and health care itself.

Harvey Zarren, MD, FACC
Medical Director
Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation
Union Hospital

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