Practicing Medicine and Health Care

Unfortunately I've had the experience of being in a lot of Physicians offices recently.  My brother has a fractured wrist and left hip.  My wife has arthritis and struggles with nausea.  In the midst of many recent Physician visits, I've been reading Dr. Victoria Sweet's, God's Hotel, A Doctor, A Hospital and a Pilgrimage  to the Heart of Medicine.  Dr. Sweet makes a difference between practicing medicine and doing health care.  Medicine is important because it has to do with tests, prescriptions and the body's chemistry and biology.  Health Care, however, is even more important because it takes into account the whole person.  Health care of the whole person certainly involves tests and prescriptions but, in addition, it requires necessary time to listen to the patients story and their life's circumstances.  Health care looks into the eyes of the person to see the anima or life force stirring in the person's soul or spirit.  In the hospital, Dr. Sweet, reflects on the crucial information she learns from sitting quietly beside the bed of her patients.  Doing good health care requires patience, listening skills, seeking the "big picture" of a person's illness and, sometimes, it involves eliminating whatever it is in the person's life that is in the way of their health rather than adding something else, ex., another test or prescription.  Practicing medicine may be efficiently and effectively accomplished during a quick office visit, but health care cannot be done in a hurry.  It takes time to hear and see the soul of a person.  I think Dr. Sweet would say that practicing medicine is a science, whereas health care is a art.  I recommend Dr. Victoria Sweet's book.