Heed patient, industry calls for compassionate care

by Thomas Dahlborg Mr. Roberts was in the hospital being prepped for an angiogram. When Sally (the hospital chaplain) met with Mr. Roberts, he shared that his wife had passed away two months earlier; he was struggling to cope and recently had a heart attack. Sally was fully present and attentive to the patient; she was supportive and listened and empathized with Mr. Roberts' struggles, pain and fear. And she asked whether he had shared this information with his doctor, and learned he had not. Shortly after this powerful sharing, Mr. Roberts' doctor walked in and Sally asked the patient if he wanted to share their discussion with the doctor. So Mr. Roberts proceeded to tell his doctor about his wife passing away, and his struggles and fear. His doctor's response? "Sorry to hear that Mr. Roberts. So, about your angiogram ... " Does this response align with patient-centered care? Does this response lead to an optimal patient experience? Is this response relationship-centered or heart-centered? Does this response represent the "care" in healthcare? The Hippocratic Oath states: "I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug." Yes ... warmth, sympathy and understanding in healing (i.e., compassionate care) are as essential to an improved healthcare system as a new building or a new technological advancement--and far less expensive. And patients want...
Source: hospital impact - Category: Health Managers Authors: Source Type: blogs