This tweet from a pediatric play therapist found its way into my feed. And it stopped me in my tracks. Children isolated during XRT therapy remain connected to their parents by a spool of string. Child holds one end and the parent holds the other. Magic string. Beyond appealing to the concrete developmental place where kids are at it serves to remind us that the ... Continue Reading about String as the Technology That Connects
The Waiting Room
In clinic I do my best to run on time. I bend every which way to see on time patients on time. It drives my staff crazy. Consequently, I prefer that my patients arrive in a reception area rather than a waiting room. The space is the same but the intent is different. Language is powerful in healthcare. If you like this post you might like the 33 charts ... Continue Reading about The Waiting Room
Should We Consider Patient Bias?
There's lots of talk about physician bias. Confirmation bias, attribution error, etc. Jerry Groopman's How Doctors Think provides a great primer on how patterns of physician thinking impact care. Unfortunately there's less talk about patient bias. Google 'patient bias' and you'll find only links to physician bias. Patients bring their own biases to the exam ... Continue Reading about Should We Consider Patient Bias?
The Illusion of Empowerment
As reported by Politico, Epic CEO Judy Faulkner found herself in hot water when she told Joe Biden that, irrespective of access, he wouldn't understand his medical record. The social health infosphere was outraged. My take: Judy was wrong to imply that Joe shouldn't have access to his stuff. Judy was right to suggest that a chunk of Joe's stuff is beyond what he ... Continue Reading about The Illusion of Empowerment
Procedure – The Only One That Matters
I've done some 10,000 endoscopic procedures over the past 25 years. Sometimes I offer that procedure number as a context for risk when discussing endoscopy. This morning when discussing consent with a mother she remarked, 'But this is the only one that matters.' You may have done a procedure 10,000 times. But for the individual patient there's only one that ... Continue Reading about Procedure – The Only One That Matters
White Board Documentation Beats the EHR
It's a recurring story: A mother brings her child for follow-up. When discussing how things have gone, mom summons her phone and references a white board picture taken during her initial visit. It's a picture that outlines what her child has and what we're doing doing about it. Collaborative thinking on a white board is central to the patient encounter As most of my ... Continue Reading about White Board Documentation Beats the EHR