medical model, 1. the traditional approach to the diagnosis and treatment of illness as practiced by physicians in the Western world since the time of Koch and Pasteur. The physician focuses on the defect, or dysfunction, within the patient, using a problem-solving approach. The medical history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests provide the basis for the identification and treatment of a specific illness. The medical model is thus focused on the physical and biological aspects of specific diseases and conditions. 2. (in occupational therapy) a focus on the physical, psychological, social, and environmental aspects of a person. Occupational therapists guide clients in the use of their strengths to help them engage in daily activities. Occupational therapists may use a medical model in certain situations but generally combine this model with holistic practice models. 3. (in nursing) nursing works collaboratively with practitioners using the the medical model. Nursing care is formulated on the basis of a holistic nursing assessment of all dimensions of the person (physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual) that assumes multiple causes for the problems experienced by the patient.
