My dwarves often survive combat long enough to be helped by healing magic, to say nothing of civilian injuries. If healing magic was easy, OSHA could go out the window. "Arm broken by a runaway mine cart? Drag 'im over to the church and get 'im back to mining in five!"
If your dwarf only had his arm broken then you deserve that healing 
So nothing short of instant death should mean anything? I believe the common epithet of "elf" has found one of the few times it is appropriate.
No different then embarking in an area with an ample supply of easy to make Steel and safe magma to forge (or just trees)
Yeah, it is. Easy steel isn't certain, nor is it a guarantee of anything. If healing magic with no consequences was added, it would be both certain and a guarantee of "Send me your delimbed, your broken-boned, your dying. Everything will be okay."
Why does healing have to be instant? Why does it have to work through "spells"? Why does it have to do the same things as medical care?
Because right now the discussion is on how much balancing healing needs instead of simply what we could do (Which we outlined ways healing could be balanced)
I am on the possition that it doesn't need much balancing and that it doesn't change the feel of the game itself.
GreatWyrmGold is on the possition that it is game breaking on its own and represents a large fraction in the feel of the game.
Ultimately we are intentionally taking opposite points in the discussion. Mind you a "Surgeon learning magical healing" does seem to hillariously negate some things here;.
Ahem, don't put words in my digital mouth. Easy healing magic would break the game, but with some form of proper balance it would be just another strategic choice.