East Meets West: A Whole-Person Approach in Integrated Care

Whole-person approach represents a fundamental tenet of integrated care globally. However, there remains a lack of consensus regarding its precise definition and an inclination towards superficial and formal implementation. This study aims to compare the similarities and differences between Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspectives on the whole-person approach, and their potential implications for integrated care.

We performed a scoping review search of original articles with a sufficient definition of a whole-person approach published in English (Wed of Science) and Chinese (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) between January 2010 and July 2024. A total of 127 articles deemed relevant to this overview were synthesized using a thematic analysis.

The study reveals that both Western medicine and TCM adopt a whole-person approach in integrated care, characterized by multidimensionality, dynamism, capability, and collaboration. However, the study also highlights that the goals and focuses of the whole-person approach in Western medicine and TCM differ. The research further discusses the importance of developing a genuine integration of the best ideas from both Western medicine and TCM to achieve a comprehensive and effective whole-person approach to integrated care.

This study highlights the culture-specific perspectives in the whole-person approach to integrated care, and also underscores the necessity of integrating the strengths of this approach derived from diverse cultural contexts.