Treatment of the whole person: Incorporating emergent perspectives in collaborative medicine, empowerment, and music therapy

This article is about healing in the context of the oncology hospital setti ng. It suggests the benefits of collaborative medicine and its enhancement through music therapy. An empowerment perspective guides its emphasis on th e necessity of meeting the psychosocial needs of patients, encouraging part icipation in treatment, and facilitating a psychologically positive hospita l experience through the application of music. A review of the literature a nd an outline of the specific physical and psychological benefits of music in oncology treatment are provided. The authors argue that psychological sy mptoms, such as depression and anxiety, which are commonly experienced by l ong-term hospital patients, can be prevented when oncology care teams follo w a philosophy of healing the whole person rather than merely treating an i llness. They suggest that researchers and care teams further explore the de velopment of creative arts programs in hospital settings.