Our Values & Definitions
Our Values
Altruism, Collaboration, Community, Empowerment, Flexible, Grateful, Inquisitive, Immersed, Integrity, Participant-Centered, Personalization, Respect
The Definitions We Use:
Children With Complex Medical Conditions: Children who have one or more chronic conditions associated with morbidity and/or mortality; have high health care needs and/or utilization patterns, including requiring multiple specialists, therapists, and/or surgeries; have many unexpected and long hospital stays; endure multiple medical procedures and/or surgeries; are dependent on technology and/or devices and/or multiple medications to overcome functional limitations; and often need home nursing care and/or care coordination.
Whole Health: When we say we focus on an individual's and family's "whole health", we mean we recognize each person's physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial heath, the well-being of the family unit, and the community in which a family lives.
Total Health: "Total health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’, and ‘It is the extent to which an individual or group is able to realize aspirations and satisfy needs, on the other hand to change or cope with the environment’" World Health Organization
Integrative Health:
“Integrative health emphasizes a patient-focused approach to health care and wellness – often including mental, emotional, functional, spiritual, social and community aspects – treating the whole person rather than, for instance, one organ system.” NIH’s National Center for Complementary & Integrative Health (2020)
"Integrative health is a state of well-being that reflects aspects of the individual, community, and population. It is affected by 1) individual biological factors and behaviors, social values, and public policy, 2) the physical, social, and economic environment, and 3) an integrative healthcare system that involves the active participation of the individual in the healthcare team in applying a broad spectrum of preventative and therapeutic approaches. Integrative health encourages individuals, social groups, and communities to develop ways of living that promote meaning, resilience and well-being across the life course." The Institute for Integrative Health and the University of Maryland's Center for Integrative Medicine (2017)
Integrative Medicine: When a child is in-patient within a medical facility and receives Integrative Medicine or has access to an Integrative Medicine program, IM is usually part of a medical care program and approach. It is "an approach to care that focuses on the whole person. Health practitioners employ a personalized strategy that considers the patient's unique conditions, needs and circumstances to treat illness and help regain and maintain optimal health and vitality." Duke Integrative Medicine
"Integrative medicine and health reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic and lifestyle approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing." Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health (ACIMH)
Integrative Care: "Integrative care is personalized, participatory, and relationship-based care, promoting optimal health.It emphasizes healing of the whole person to achieve each individual's unique physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social health goals.The primary therapies used to achieve these goals are healthy habits (nutrition, activity, sleep, mindful self-care, and fellowship) in a healthy habitat (social, natural, and built environment). Integrative health care skillfully uses the best of both conventional and complementary strategies to attain patients' health goals." Mind-body STREAM with Ohio State University's College of Medicine
Integrative Care Services: We are referring to approaches, techniques, tools, and therapies that have been shown to reduce stress, pain, fear, trauma, anxiety, and/or depression in both children and adults. Examples include acupuncture; aromatherapy; essential oils; Healing Touch; massage; meditation; Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR); music, art, and play therapy; Reiki, and other related healing modalities. They may also include mental health support, marriage counseling, and other types of support that a particular individual or community needs as part of taking a total health approach to achieving wellness and well-being. Complementary care approaches, techniques, tools, and therapies can be used alongside necessary medications and medical procedures.
Mind-body Medicine: "Mind-body medicine is based on the scientific understanding of the inextricable connection among our thoughts, sensations and feelings, and our mind, body, and spirit – between ourselves and the social and natural world in which we live." Center for Mind-Body Medicine
Whole Person Health: “Whole person health considers the whole person and the relationships among numerous factors, including biologic, environmental, behavioral, mental, and social factors, in determining health.” NIH’s National Center for Complementary & Integrative Health.