I am contemplating my future. Where will my next adventure take me? I have almost completed a deeper training in Gestalt and have realized a passion for working to help doctors connect better with their patients. This will help their patients realize they are not superhumans, listen, and take directions better.
While I was a caregiver, I saw a lot in the health care system. It’s not perfect, to say the least. Mike and I really liked his doctors at KU Medical Center. The ones he saw the most shared a little personal information with us. It made the relationship feel more intimate. It helped to have a conversation with them no matter how brief. To see into their lives outside the hospital a little bit.
We were talking with one of them one day about our son’s new shampoo and how the smell caused Mike to have breathing problems. He responded with a story about his son, who was about a year younger, and his friends’ use of Axe. It must be some sort of ritual that the young teenage boys go through as we had a problem with Axe as well.
He had another doctor that he had conversations about how he was fixing up an old Ford pickup. Another doctor told us about his grandfather in India and pulling things with his oxen after Mike showed him a video of his uncle in a pickup pulling competition. These are small things. Yes, they take a few minutes. Isn’t it worth it if your patient relates to you on a deeper level?
Do I remember everything each doctor told us? No. What I do remember are these little details about their lives and how they made us feel.
I understand the problem doctors have with their time constraints and being pushed to only spend 15-20 minutes with a patient. It’s unfortunate that the insurance companies have so much control over the health care system. It makes it all that much harder for doctors to form those connections.
I believe that more connection between a doctor and patient will create better outcomes for the patients. They will feel like the doctor listened to them and the patient will listen to the doctor better.
As I let the sunshine stream down on me, I can see how much making connections helps everyone. The patient, caregivers, and doctors all benefit.
Come visit my healing herd and explore how we can help you form better connections. Connect with me here for more information.
Stop Holding Out For A Hero.
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Onward!
