Patient Care Improvement

Patient Centered Care

Dr. Bridget Duffy gave this talk when she served as Chief Experience Officer at the Cleveland Clinic. She is entertaining and challenging in her perspectives about what patients experience when they are treated in hospitals. A physician herself, Dr. Duffy reflects on what she has learned about patient care in this interesting video entitled Experience Matters.

This is an inspiring TED MED talk entitled, “Between Music and medicine” by Robert Gupta. You might consider how you can use music as an adjunct to your care of patients (ie., did you ever think of ordering 1 hour of chamber music BID?)

Jamie Heywood gives a TED MED talk entitled, “The Big Idea My Brother Gave Me.” Some of you may be interested to access the website that he developed as a result of his brother’s diagnosis with ALS.

Brian Goldman, MD gives the talk, Doctors Make Mistakes, Can We Talk About That? and addresses the expectation that physicians always make good decisions, always diagnose correctly, and in a word, never make mistakes.

Aimee Mullins, double amputee, discusses the Opportunity of Adversity in learning how to positively discuss prognoses, embracing and dancing with the challenges we face in life. This is a terrific reminder that the way we talk about our disabled patients can be “the first brick in their way of recovery.”

Ed Gavigan gives the talk, “Can a Stitch in Time Save Nine?” about his own experience under the knife.

The Hippocratic Oath tells us to do no harm. However, the idea that patients can have a “good death” can feel like a failure sometimes. This article is an interesting look at some of the challenges around considering the death of patients.

Aside from making our patients like us, does it really matter how we engage with them? Ted Kaptchuk of Harvard University, says it most assuredly does. His study on the placebo effect of emotional engagement is an interesting read.

Patient Experience

This short video given at the annual Gel Conference by Dr. Bridget Duffy, MD, formerly Chief Experience Officer of the Cleveland Clinic, contrasts her experience as a physician and as a patient. Her goal to assist physicians to deal with patients in more genuine ways line up beautifully with LLUMC’s emphasis on whole person care.

 

Here’s another fine thought piece from the Cleveland Clinic entitled, “If We could see inside other people’s hearts: Life in 4 minutes.” See what you think.

And from Pittsburgh is the singing doctor. Think you should change your bedside manner? Check out the way this doctor interacts with patients in this video.

 

Free Referral Service for Patients with Cancer

The American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS) operates a helpline that connects cancer patients with counseling resources in their area. You may either email this service, or pass along their toll free number: 1-866-276-7443. You can read more about this organization and its helpline service here.