Introducing Healing Touch, a biofield therapy, at an NCI Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center: Improving the Patient Experience

To determine efficacy of specific complementary therapies to advance evidence-based, integrative healthcare, the complementary modality should first be introduced to stakeholders to determine interest, feasibility, relevant disease sites and patient populations, appropriate means of delivery, and potential impact. To address these points, a nursing-based holistic biofield modality, Healing Touch (HT), was introduced in a Survivorship Clinic at an NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center to patients, caregivers, survivors, and staff. The program was led by a Healing Beyond Borders (HBB) Certified HT Practitioner. HT was offered twice a week for 3 hours each day and participants received a 30-minute HT chair session in a group setting delivered by hospital volunteers trained in HBB Level I HT.

Stakeholders’ demographic data, affiliation, associated disease site/clinic, and department was collected. A mixed methods approach was used (10-point scale) to assess how they were feeling pre and post HT, along with other qualitative comments.

In the first year, 760-30-minute sessions were performed. Over 350 participants came to the clinic. Participants were active cancer patients, caregivers, survivors, and staff coming from come a variety of disease sites, were older, mostly employed, married, women, and self-referred. Ninety-eight percent of participants increased at least 1 point on the scale from baseline assessment, with 80% increasing between 2-5 points. Clinics most represented included Breast, Gyn Onc, and BMT. Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual comments were obtained, but most focused primarily on cancer related symptom relief and feeling relaxed.

HT was feasible, well received by our stakeholders, and delivered successfully in 30 minutes by our volunteers. HT has been incorporated in several additional programs at our institute. Additional wellness programs, including another biofield modality, Reiki, are currently available to our patients.