The Purpose

Icarus, stencil print, plate VIII of the illustrated book Jazz by Henri Matisse, Editions Tériade, 1947. Photo: Archives Matisse © 2010 Succession Henri Matisse/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New YorkThis conference is born out of the desire of physicians, nurses and students attempting to practice a medical care focused on the patient-as-person.

The conference aim is to explore how this working hypothesis improves medical practice through the experiences of health care professionals able to document a medical approach that takes into consideration the complexity of the needs of the patients.

The organizers of this conference strongly desire to provide a yearly meeting place where health care professionals come to dialogue and gain professional credits to begin to rebuild a more person-oriented health care.

About the MedConference

The core of the medical profession, which is the relationship between patient and caregiver, is too often reduced to a sort of mechanism. The very nature of medical care is at risk, because the concept of “person” is confused.

The nature of the person is expressed by critical questions which easily emerge in front of sickness, sorrow and death. What is the meaning of this illness? Why is there pain and death? Why is it worthy to be a doctor or a nurse today? What is it that a patient ultimately asks of a caregiver?

The Human Adventure Corporation and Crossroads Cultural Center invite you to the 2nd three-day medical conference for physicians, nurses, medical and nursing students. This project is made possible by the grants from the Stephen & Mary Birch Foundation and The Arnold P. Gold Foundation.

The Theme

The 2010 MedConference wants to explore how to safeguard a medical care that is adequate to the person with their needs. The theme will highlight the central role of the “person” in medical care and will focus on the need of the patients, including the need to be healed and the need to find a meaning for their suffering. We hold that adequate medical care can be provided only by taking into account the original needs of the person, such as the need for meaning, beauty and love.