During my first ward rotation as a medical intern at New York- Presbyterian Hospital on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, I worked the better part of two weeks before having a day off. Just after awakening that Saturday morning, the phone rang - it was my resident. I must have screwed something up, was my first thought.
“Mark – it’s Jenny, I’m really sorry to bother you. It’s about your patient Mrs. Gold on the fifth floor, the elderly woman with pneumonia… she simply won’t take her antibiotic. She’s insisting that I “check with Dr. Rudolph” about any medication changes. She was getting IV antibiotics, but I want to switch to oral. I thought of telling her that you’ve been a doctor for all of two weeks, but you seem to have made quite an impression - can you tell her that you approve?”
I briefly spoke to Mrs. Gold, approved the change and endorsed my resident as a more than capable stand-in for the weekend. Mrs. Gold cheerfully thanked me and apologized for having to call on the weekend.
When the fear that I had botched something subsided, I was moved by the impact I had on Mrs. Gold. The time and energy I had spent communicating with and caring for her during the prior week created a level of trust that kept her deeply engaged in her own care. Simultaneously, I felt a sense of achievement in my role as her doctor.
Patients that have a great healthcare experience feel better, follow-up better and provide their caregivers with tremendous professional satisfaction. I call that success by any measure.
With this knowledge, The (in)Patient Experience blog seeks to stimulate communication and actions that foster provider and employee engagement in the patient experience for the benefit of hospitalized patients everywhere.
To that end, I will look to resources that all of us can learn to offer in unlimited supply: compassion, engagement and leadership. It's only through our generosity in these measures that we can provide comfort and assurance to those under our care. And to one another. Ultimately, a focus on these emotional commitments will provide our patients and colleagues with a superior experience and improved outcomes by virtually any measure.
Please share your successes or challenges that relate to the opportunities we have to improve the patient experience with the human spirit. Every effort counts and will be celebrated on these pages (See the “Celebrate” tab). Send an email or leave a comment and share your wisdom. Thanks for jumping in!
Mark Rudolph, MD
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