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IF YOU WANT HEALTH, HAVE A HEALTH SYSTEM: CHANGING THE AGENDUM

Joachim Sturmberg

Abstract


As previously described health is an experiential state resulting from the dynamic interactions between the somatic, psychological, social and semiotic or cognitive domains that characterize a person’s integrity. Contrast that with the prevailing discrete disease and economic rationalist approaches to managing the healthcare, or should one better say disease management, system. The epidemiology of health in the community indicates that 96% of the community does require something other than those highly specific and successful discrete disease interventions offered in the secondary and tertiary care environment. A healthcare system build around the experience of health of the community will organise care in a much broader though highly sophisticated way. It will in particular include a focus on health promoting/destroying local community circumstances. Such a systemic approach is illustrated by the healthcare vortex model.


Keywords


Complex adaptive systems, healthcare reform, healthcare vortex, metaphor, non-linear dynamics patient-centered health, patient experience, philosophy of health, philosophy of medicine, primary care reform

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5750/ejpch.v3i2.910

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