Iva Fattorini – The Art of Healing with Art and Medicine

One World with Deepak Chopra – Dr. Iva Fattorini

The Art of Healing with Art & Medicine: Dr. Iva Fattorini

As a doctor focused on international health, Dr. Iva Fattorini has had the opportunity to observe many patients from around the world and the ways in which they deal with their treatment. She noticed that for many patients once the medical tests are done, so much of their time is spent waiting. They are essentially left to watch the clock because many hospitals do not provide additional stimulation beyond the basics of treatment for their patients. Dr. Iva Fattorini believes that a hospital stay should be able to do more than just treat the body, hospitals should also offer chances for mental and even spiritual growth through the arts.

When a patient is in hospital for a life threatening illness, there is often a moment of self-reflection that is stronger than can be experienced by a person who is not being forced to confront their own mortality. Dr. Iva Fattorini believes that this is a moment in which healthcare providers should be providing something new and beautiful to that patient’s life. While the idea of art and medicine intersecting is not a completely novel idea, it is one that Dr. Iva Fattorini and the staff at the Cleveland Clinic have been able to refine in ways that ensure a patient’s complete being is attended to while they are in the hospital.