Dealing with multivoicedness, art products and existential matters within phenomenology of practice: health care service

In the years to come, a global challenge is to reorganize the health care systems to engaging people in health promotion and make individuals and groups co-constructors of health and well-being. In Denmark in 2012, a local challenge has come up as the National Health Board published a new program for cancer treatment. In this program the bio-psycho-social model includes an existential/spiritual perspective, and the program has an increased focus on patients´ and relatives´ resources, which means, multiple perspectives are to be considered. Research and published narratives about being a cancer-patient indicates that a cancer diagnosis often incites questions of an existential nature. This means new challenges for health care practice as well as for qualitative health research. In order to facilitate reflexive processes concerning existential and spiritual topics, one of the cornerstones of phenomenology namely epoché is focused. Epoché means putting aside views, judgments and assumptions being a professional; but how to be aware of views, judgments and assumptions involved? This paper examines what we can learn about existential matters, and how to approach performance from multiple perspectives using a variety of tools such as from novels, films, dialogues, narratives, poetry and autobiographies written by patients and relatives. How to use these tools as learning spaces for health care providers, meeting these challenges in practice? Some suggestions are: ´empowerment by discussing dilemmas´ (Jacobsen, 2009), establishing a ´wonder-lab´ (Erstad & Hansen) or a ´practicum´ (Schön, 1987/2013). Finally, the question is how does this kind of data correspond to science methodology? And how do these questions influence a future focused phenomenology including a psychological, a social as well as a philosophical view: dealing with empathy as well as conciouness and roles being professional, personal and private?