Of the things I face each day perhaps the most remarkable is the exam room door. It’s the gateway to what I do. As a conduit to the patient, it punctuates the beginning and end of the patient encounter. The ultimate moment of clinical focus There’s a process that happens during the moments before I enter. There’s something of a ritual or process that plays out in my ... Continue Reading about The Exam Room Door
Physicians as Mediators
Physicians were once the sole mediators of what patients understood about their health. When we wanted to know something, we went to the doctor. And what we understood was limited to what the doctor knew. There was nothing between us and an answer. Not so much anymore. As doctors we've evolved as mediators of the things that help us with answers. Instead of ... Continue Reading about Physicians as Mediators
Bedside Manner
Doctors are obsessed with bedside manner. This made sense when the exchange between a patient and doctor occurred at the bedside. The bedside was the context of care. When you were sick, you were confined to bed. You saw the doctor when you were sick. In bed, typically. When a doctor was empathetic, we said he had good bedside manner. This was how we ranked ... Continue Reading about Bedside Manner
Reactive and Creative Spaces
When I look at my day there are 2 spaces that occupy my time. The first is my creative space. This is where I shape things that didn't exist before. Ideas, programs, writing, new presentations and initiatives. Next is my reactive space. This is the operational part of my day. Most of this time is centered on problems or emerging issues. Something arises and I ... Continue Reading about Reactive and Creative Spaces
The Public Progression of Physicians
When it comes to doctors and social media, the past few years have been occupied with how doctors can make the transition to public life. Our dialog has traditionally focused on digital immigrants - established physicians adjusting to life with new tools and a public voice. The discussion begins with the argument for why a physician should be there. But another ... Continue Reading about The Public Progression of Physicians
How Do We Restore Joy to the Practice of Medicine?
I see it every day. Physicians discouraged over the state of medicine feel that they are powerless over the forces changing health care. And it would appear that what I see represents a broader national trend. The results of a survey of over 400 full-time practicing physicians released this morning by Geneia show what physicians are thinking. Here are a few of the ... Continue Reading about How Do We Restore Joy to the Practice of Medicine?