CHOICE

CHOICE is a SPLENDIFEROUS word.  CHOICE is a wonderful opportunity. Did you ever fantasize about what animal you would be if you were reincarnated as an animal? Seems like most animals have little CHOICE and operate more on instinct. Ants may build large societies and giant anteaters may live alone, but neither had a CHOICE between the two. Humans are the only animals for whom most of our life is the result of and the opporunity for such CHOICE.

Doing nothing is a CHOICE.  When I’m not working my wife reminds me this is relaxing, recharging, resting – it is a good CHOICE.

Sometimes not doing something is the better CHOICE. In clinical education, with so much expectation to prescribe a medicine as the “result” of a patient encounter a common phrase I learned was “Don’t just do something. Stand there.” It makes sense more often than “Don’t just stand there. Do something.” when the something we might do is potentially more harmful than the trigger we are responding to.

The Ontario College of Family Physicians has a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course called Best Practices in Reducing Unnecessary Tests, Treatments and Care (Don’t Just Do Something – Stand There!)

I learned about this and many other efforts focused on HARM AVOIDANCE in medical practice as nearly 300 people came together for a Choosing Wisely Canada conference yesterday. It was impressive to see the volume, passion, creativity, and developing impact that the community is coming together around efforts to reinstate “First do no harm”. And this is just in Canada. The Choosing Wisely movement is now in 18 countries.

I hope you make good CHOICEs today as you have the opportunity to make CHOICEs that really matter.  And if you don’t get it right you still have the CHOICE to change your mind.