Hey: 👩🏽⚕️👨🏽⚕️🧑🏼⚕️
I'm sick of stories on health care that erase and dumb down the professional roles & responsibilities of clinicians (doctors, nurses, etc) – whether it’s @NYTimes on genetic screening or @DopesickOnHulu on opioids. /1
I'm sick of stories on health care that erase and dumb down the professional roles & responsibilities of clinicians (doctors, nurses, etc) – whether it’s @NYTimes on genetic screening or @DopesickOnHulu on opioids. /1
The public is flooded with stories about health care that show health professionals as, well,
patsies, victims and cogs.
Health professionals need to ask "why we look that way" to them, and push back /2
patsies, victims and cogs.
Health professionals need to ask "why we look that way" to them, and push back /2
That’s what got me talking in our latest podcast from @OnHealer.
We reviewed a @NYTimes story of highly marketed prenatal screening tests.
These tests do traumatize moms if results come in without appropriate clinical counseling.
Listen: pod.link/healer/episode… /3
We reviewed a @NYTimes story of highly marketed prenatal screening tests.
These tests do traumatize moms if results come in without appropriate clinical counseling.
Listen: pod.link/healer/episode… /3
But the @NYTimes story overlooked the elephant in the room: health professionals!
Pregnant moms aren’t screened by “companies”. A professional orders the test.
Trauma happens when health professionals fail to deliver counseling that patients require! /4
Pregnant moms aren’t screened by “companies”. A professional orders the test.
Trauma happens when health professionals fail to deliver counseling that patients require! /4
Delivering health information and listening, and adjusting course, is our job!
Not doing our job is a professional failure.
When we fail, it’s better to *own it publicly*
Owning the failure reaffirms our core commitments /5
Not doing our job is a professional failure.
When we fail, it’s better to *own it publicly*
Owning the failure reaffirms our core commitments /5
Popular narratives on the opioid crisis focus on corporate malfeasance.
In these stories, patient are victims and prescribers are "innocent" patsies who know almost nothing.
Does "being a patsy" sound like who are and have always been?
See @DOPESickonHulu /6
In these stories, patient are victims and prescribers are "innocent" patsies who know almost nothing.
Does "being a patsy" sound like who are and have always been?
See @DOPESickonHulu /6
It may seem “kind” to portray doctors and nurses as weaklings who have no agency (poor Dr. Finnix was “captured” by the drugs he prescribed).
The appearance of moral clarity thrills TV watchers, litigators, and journalists.
It *feels so right* /7
The appearance of moral clarity thrills TV watchers, litigators, and journalists.
It *feels so right* /7
But it’s not TRUE. In the middle of any healthcare failure story are health professionals, who *aren’t dumb cartoons*.
We have professional obligations, which we sometimes undermine.
We permit ourselves to be reduced to "task completers"
Let’s be honest about that /8
We have professional obligations, which we sometimes undermine.
We permit ourselves to be reduced to "task completers"
Let’s be honest about that /8
If you’re reading this thinking “yes but today’s health professionals are subject to pressure from corporate behemoths that control their time and energy” – right on. It’s absolutely true. /9
But if we want to address the problems that ail us and our patients, we have no standing unless we declare our commitments.
We must address our passions, our anger, and our failures, openly and honestly. /10
We must address our passions, our anger, and our failures, openly and honestly. /10
The stakes are dire:
There will be no “mitigation” of the opioid/addiction crisis with just a pile of money.
It will be "mitigated" ONLY if health professionals (with patients and their communities) assume the work as a vocation, with passion and full hearts /11
There will be no “mitigation” of the opioid/addiction crisis with just a pile of money.
It will be "mitigated" ONLY if health professionals (with patients and their communities) assume the work as a vocation, with passion and full hearts /11
There will be no “solution” to the impersonal aspects of corporate health care unless health professionals – in concert with patients-
say “this is our mission, and we’re doing it wrong now. Let’s talk about how to do it right” /12
say “this is our mission, and we’re doing it wrong now. Let’s talk about how to do it right” /12
Blunt talk isn't easy. We have to speak of and explain OUR failures (& triumphs), in the real world.
If we don't speak, then Hollywood writers, journalists & others will continue to reduce us to cartoons.
That's because our frontline work is messy and opaque to them /13
If we don't speak, then Hollywood writers, journalists & others will continue to reduce us to cartoons.
That's because our frontline work is messy and opaque to them /13
So my humble proposal: Let us reject the professional erasure of clinicians: doctors, nurses, psyhologists, pharmacists and more.
Let us speak honestly.
Unless we speak up, as professionals, the problems in health care that need to be fixed will *not be fixed*
/fin
Let us speak honestly.
Unless we speak up, as professionals, the problems in health care that need to be fixed will *not be fixed*
/fin
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