INTRODUCTION

All healthcare facilities, hospitals, clinics have to encounter a multitude of patients that are struggling with problems and diseases on a day to day basis, with the hope to be treated at the earliest. Which simplifies that the main task of these facilities is to focus on the physical health with the help of the latest diagnosis and number of treatments available.

But the question that arises is that, “Are the physical diagnosis and treatments the only functions that can be embodied in a healthcare facility?” Can physical treatment be enough to completely get rid of the pain and illness caused to a patient? If the answer is yes, then what is the cause of the psychological aspects observed in the patient during and after recovery?

The environment plays a significant role to influence either positively or negatively on a patients healing process. According the World Health Organization (WHO), the health state of an individual is defined not only as being free from illness but also a complete physical, mental and social well-being. Hence, it can be derived that the function of a healthcare facility goes beyond body treatments.

Dated back more than 5000 years ago, the perfect balance of mind, body andsoul was considered as complete health in Ayurveda.

This concept in ancient India had been since pre-Vedic period where it was highly important to keep in mind the mental state of a patient for boosting the self-healing process of the body. Yet has somehow lost its essence in the medical field today.

As most of the hospitals and clinics Built in the 20th century were not designed for the healing of patients, reducing stress levels and considering comfort of family members of the patients.

Figure 4: Ayurveda during the Vedic period Source: https://www.kottamparaayurveda.com/about_us

Consider, for example, how the focus of most hospitals is on the latest medical equipment’s using the latest technology, which slightly frightens the patients while the halls throughout are plain, practical and noisy. It is often a dehumanizing environment that runs counter to healing of the body but on the contrary cause immense stress on a patient and their family who endure it for a long period in the facility.

However, this is beginning to change as healthcare moves towards a more patient - centered and holistic model. With this increase in the awareness of mental health in healthcare it should become a general characteristic to be seen in these facilities.

These characteristics of an environment can create hope and positivity. They can either accelerate or vice versa, decelerate the healing process. It is clearly comprehensible that there is an active interaction between the environment and occupants. Thus, the quality level of this interaction eventually will be the determinative factor. To achieve this quality or increasing it in the hospital spaces, the environment not only should meet the medical needs of the patients but also should cover wide aspects of needs to provide different types of comfort, or in another word setting up the environment based on the human needs to make a place more pleasant or more suitable. Hence, it is imperative to have a clear concept of humanized spaces in healthcare centers that can be defined as holistic approach in healthcare.

Figure 5: Holistic Health complete health Source: https://www.healthyhildegard.com/holistic-healing/

Holistic healthcare is a form of healing that considers the whole person - body, mind, spirit, and emotions - in the quest for optimal health and wellness.

It is an on going process and it is not a remedy to turn to in times of sickness but a principle to abide by through life. The role of architecture in this concept is limited to the psychological impact it leaves on the human mind.

Healthcare buildings should be designed with the idea of holistic treatment in mind, in addition to treatment through technological and scientific advances.

Figure 6: Holistic health - Whole health of the body Source: https://www.healthyhildegard.com/holistic-healing/

Figure 7: Mind, Body, Soul, Emotional health Source: https://www.healthyhildegard.com/holistic-healing/

“Calling holistic medicine alternative medicine is no is no longer appropriate. The best approach now is ‘integrated medicine’ in which we take the best of both worlds." - Candess M. Campbell, Ph.D. in Clinical Hypnotherapy.