If you're a health care professional, I'm offering a free copy of "The Other End Of The Stethoscope: 33 Insights For Excellent Patient Care."
Just send me an E mail to Marcus@MarcusEngel.com before Feb. 26 and a copy will be in your hands soon after!
Why am I giving away copies? Simple: Nurses Week is just over two months away. The more people who read "Stethoscope", the more people who'll be looking for a program for Nurses/Hospitals Week.
When you E mail me, be sure to include your name, preferred mailing address, place of employment and your title. Thanks!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Tellin' Tales
President Clinton was in the hospital again this week, having new stints put in his chest. This caused cardiovascular health to be at the top of the discussions on the health portions of some of the Sunday morning news shows.
I caught a segment with a well known (and respected) M.D., but after listening to him, I don't think I respect him quite as much as I used to. Why? He was a bit too self indulgent...
Here's the story: When the interviewer asked the doc about the procedure to put in stints, Clinton's symptoms, etc., the doc went off on a storytelling rant. First off, this doc IS a cardiologist. Second, he's probably 70 years old, maybe closer to 80. Does he have great experience and education? Most certainly. What he does NOT have is a gift for communication...
I'm not one of his patients, but I can imagine with his personality that what you see on a talk show is what you get in his exam room. Before explaining how Clinton's stint procedure was done, he started spinning yarns about his father's cardiovascular health, how that inspired him to become a cardiologist and how his father suffered due to the fact there were no such things as stints back then. Only after explaining what went on 50 or 60 years ago did he come back around to how it's done now.
When communicating with patients, think. Does a patient want to know how things were done 50 years ago? Or do they want some knowledge on how they will be treated today? If you're like me, the old way makes absolutely no difference to you-it's what's going to be done to me now, here, today that is at the forefront of my concern.
Those in the health care profession who have many, many years of experience are most likely to do this. After all, they're the ones who've seen the evolution of procedures and treatment. But living in the past when it has no benefit to the patient, well, does not benefit the patient. No brainer, huh?
I caught a segment with a well known (and respected) M.D., but after listening to him, I don't think I respect him quite as much as I used to. Why? He was a bit too self indulgent...
Here's the story: When the interviewer asked the doc about the procedure to put in stints, Clinton's symptoms, etc., the doc went off on a storytelling rant. First off, this doc IS a cardiologist. Second, he's probably 70 years old, maybe closer to 80. Does he have great experience and education? Most certainly. What he does NOT have is a gift for communication...
I'm not one of his patients, but I can imagine with his personality that what you see on a talk show is what you get in his exam room. Before explaining how Clinton's stint procedure was done, he started spinning yarns about his father's cardiovascular health, how that inspired him to become a cardiologist and how his father suffered due to the fact there were no such things as stints back then. Only after explaining what went on 50 or 60 years ago did he come back around to how it's done now.
When communicating with patients, think. Does a patient want to know how things were done 50 years ago? Or do they want some knowledge on how they will be treated today? If you're like me, the old way makes absolutely no difference to you-it's what's going to be done to me now, here, today that is at the forefront of my concern.
Those in the health care profession who have many, many years of experience are most likely to do this. After all, they're the ones who've seen the evolution of procedures and treatment. But living in the past when it has no benefit to the patient, well, does not benefit the patient. No brainer, huh?
Friday, February 12, 2010
Catching Up!
Wow. Just wow. What a blogging slacker I've been on the patient care front!
Okay, it's truly sad that I haven't posted in many months...but that's going to start to change...
See, for the months I've not been blogging, I really HAVE been hard at work on patient care matters. Specifically, I've been working on "The Other End Of The Stethoscope #2: 33 MORE Insights For Excellent Patient Care."
Our goal is for "Stetho #2" to be out by Nurses/Hospital Week (first week of May)...and, I'm pretty sure we're going to be able to accomplish said goal.
Thanks to all who visit HealthCareSpeaker.blogspot.com looking for updates...and my apologies for there being, well, none lately. But, talk is cheap...Just check back frequently and see what newness I've come up with!
Okay, it's truly sad that I haven't posted in many months...but that's going to start to change...
See, for the months I've not been blogging, I really HAVE been hard at work on patient care matters. Specifically, I've been working on "The Other End Of The Stethoscope #2: 33 MORE Insights For Excellent Patient Care."
Our goal is for "Stetho #2" to be out by Nurses/Hospital Week (first week of May)...and, I'm pretty sure we're going to be able to accomplish said goal.
Thanks to all who visit HealthCareSpeaker.blogspot.com looking for updates...and my apologies for there being, well, none lately. But, talk is cheap...Just check back frequently and see what newness I've come up with!
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