Halting dehumanization in medicine

Abstract

Dehumanization in medicine extends beyond doctor–patient relationship and affects the whole health-care system. It affects the physician himself who has become more of a doctor-machine. The constant expansion of medical information, the objective approach, and the compulsion to remain in touch with evidence-based updates, takes the physician away from the patient. Much of the increase in medical knowledge is downstream (body dimension), whereas the primary cause may remain the same upstream (mental and spiritual dimensions). In the conventional body medicine, there is little requirement for empathy and a persistent demand for use of the analytic mind. Intuitive approach being efficacious, fundamental, and creative, is able to connect the physician to inner joy but is neglected. The “quantum-aware” approach, where there is balanced consideration of all the three components: body, mind-body and mind-body-spirit medicine, allows the physician to be competent, intuitive, creative and empathetic. Health-care delivery and the process of medical education are modified accordingly.The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Patient care, Medical knowledge, Interpersonal and communication skills, Systems-based practice.