I’m not Ragen but I have medical PTSD (and actually worked in healthcare before going to college many many years ago) and I’d like to respond from my own personal POV.
First, I’m really sorry for your losses. I’m sure that makes it harder for you to practice medicine, but I think it also probably gives you a unique empathetic POV that pat…
I’m not Ragen but I have medical PTSD (and actually worked in healthcare before going to college many many years ago) and I’d like to respond from my own personal POV.
First, I’m really sorry for your losses. I’m sure that makes it harder for you to practice medicine, but I think it also probably gives you a unique empathetic POV that patients and their families find supportive during their own tragedies.
As for your ED, if you’re actively working to overcome this, then hopefully that involves acknowledging your own shortcomings biases when working with patients. For example, if a fat patient comes into your ER with chest pain, I hope you give them the same differential with shame-free, blame-free care that you’d give a thin person with the same symptoms. I hope you recognize your implicit bias, as well, and work to compensate for the seeds of bias your ED (and society at large) planted over the years.
Patients know their doctors are only human. We aren’t expecting perfection. But we deserve care from providers who recognize their own limitations and are working hard to level the playing field to improve patient care. We also need doctors who are actively trying to prevent oppression, while recognizing they hold a LOT of power over someone who may well be having the worst day of their life when they meet you.
After a lifetime of terrible healthcare, and permanent damage due to delayed diagnoses of autoimmune disease and spinal cord injury, I struggle to trust any provider. But I really respect anyone who recognizes their power and is actively trying to do better. I thank you, and I wish you lots of luck and success.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. It maddens me and saddens me that our entire system malfunctions on so many levels. I have many patients with medical PTSD and recognize that this adds a whole other layer of complexity when attempting to get care.
I continue to become (and remain) aware of my biases- not always comfortable but certainly necessary to be a better person and provider.
I’m not Ragen but I have medical PTSD (and actually worked in healthcare before going to college many many years ago) and I’d like to respond from my own personal POV.
First, I’m really sorry for your losses. I’m sure that makes it harder for you to practice medicine, but I think it also probably gives you a unique empathetic POV that patients and their families find supportive during their own tragedies.
As for your ED, if you’re actively working to overcome this, then hopefully that involves acknowledging your own shortcomings biases when working with patients. For example, if a fat patient comes into your ER with chest pain, I hope you give them the same differential with shame-free, blame-free care that you’d give a thin person with the same symptoms. I hope you recognize your implicit bias, as well, and work to compensate for the seeds of bias your ED (and society at large) planted over the years.
Patients know their doctors are only human. We aren’t expecting perfection. But we deserve care from providers who recognize their own limitations and are working hard to level the playing field to improve patient care. We also need doctors who are actively trying to prevent oppression, while recognizing they hold a LOT of power over someone who may well be having the worst day of their life when they meet you.
After a lifetime of terrible healthcare, and permanent damage due to delayed diagnoses of autoimmune disease and spinal cord injury, I struggle to trust any provider. But I really respect anyone who recognizes their power and is actively trying to do better. I thank you, and I wish you lots of luck and success.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. It maddens me and saddens me that our entire system malfunctions on so many levels. I have many patients with medical PTSD and recognize that this adds a whole other layer of complexity when attempting to get care.
I continue to become (and remain) aware of my biases- not always comfortable but certainly necessary to be a better person and provider.