Brett Ormerod gave the Lilywhites an early lead, but Leeds roared back with an equaliser by Robbie Blake and Healy jubilantly struck his sixth goal in the space of seven days for club and country.
Left-back Michael Gray was outstanding in the first match of his second spell on loan from Blackburn as Leeds gave arguably their best performance under Dennis Wise's management.
The game was billed as a shoot-out between men of the moment Healy and David Nugent after their exploits for Northern Ireland and England respectively.
But after Preston's top scorer Nugent had sliced a second minute volley wide, it was former Leeds duo Danny Pugh and Ormerod who combined to open the scoring in the fourth minute.
Pugh's excellent pass into the box found Ormerod who lost his marker Lubomir Michalik and expertly clipped his 12-yard angled shot between keeper Casper Ankergren and the near post.
Leeds did everything but score in the first half. Richard Cresswell wasted a glorious headed chance to equalise and Healy struck the sort of venomous shot that would surely have found the target had he been wearing the green shirt of Northern Ireland.
Jonathon Douglas and Blake had efforts blocked in the goalmouth and Matt Heath clipped the foot of a post.
Leeds were rewarded at last in the 52nd minute when the lively Cresswell broke down the left and squared a low cross for Blake to slide in beyond the far post and stab home his ninth goal of the season.
Nugent and substitute Michael Ricketts should have restored Preston's lead, but they wasted gilt-edged chances, before Eddie Lewis sent over a deep cross and Healy bundled the ball in at the far post.