From House to Human – a new narrative for medical effectiveness
House?- as portrayed by TV actor Hugh Laurie - has a lot to answer for! ?
If you've seen any episode of the classic series, you'll know he’s the epitome of the medical genius with zero personal skills. And that’s a problem, because with all due respect to technical competence (and his gift for arriving at the correct diagnosis usually at the third attempt), personal skills are rather important. ?
‘Medical genius’ is a compelling narrative, which means it has real impacts in the world of recruitment of medical students and in the behaviour of House-hold heroes. ?
Let's assume that most medical students start with loads of empathy, wanting to be good with people and thinking that they are. We can regret - and perhaps fix - the depersonalising systems and the stories that go with them that drain their good natures all too often as their careers progress. ?
Fortunately, there’s an upsurge of interest in communications in medical circles. You'll hear about it under the title of ‘medical improv’, for example. It’s a counter to an epidemic in health services of ‘Empathy Deficit’. ?
There are plenty of nursing and medical students, all of whom we can presume want to give good care. Then they hit systems of education and health care. In the US, UK and beyond, it can be ironically an uncaring and dehumanised system, devoted more to technology and pharmacology. ?
Some students get stressed by exams, burn out, or over-rely on short-term coping skills (yelling, alcohol and other tactics for tuning out caring). ?
Doctors and paramedics are taught to distance themselves from patients, to ration time, to follow formulas for telling people bad news. ?
But many medical practitioners, not to mention their patients, are resisting such trends. Confidently equipped with information from the internet, they are leading a literate and powerful counter-movement. ?
Doctors ask ‘What’s wrong with you today?’ as routine. What can the shift to a more story-based introduction look like?
ICF-Accredited Coach Trainer | ???? ??????
3 个月So true, Paul Z Jackson. Human connection is key in any professional relationship.
Founder
3 个月Thanks for highlighting the importance of engaging patients and honoring their voices in the course of providing skilled medical care, Paul Z Jackson! Instead of being objects of treatments we become subjects of care using treatments. The relationship and skill-building possibilities that Medical Improv offers stands to improve all of our critical outcomes (patient safety, patient experience, the health and wellbeing of the workforce and even cost-effectiveness.). I appreciate the mention in your resources too!