Being a physician does not seem as rewarding today as it did 30 years ago.
Under constant pressure to focus on production, meaningful use, and compliance with myriad regulations, it’s easy to lose sight of the most rewarding part of our work—caring for our patients. And most are highly satisfied with our care.
The modern rendition of patient satisfaction is the “patient experience” score, with the data tracked and disseminated by firms specializing in such reports. I do see some value in these reports, as they can help us pinpoint areas of our office operations or personal interactions that could be improved. But on an emotional level, they just don’t cut it. Patient experience scores, and the form in which they’re presented, are too much like report cards. They don’t inspire me.
What inspires me is receiving a heartfelt “thank you” from a grateful patient, and I’m reasonably sure the same is true for you. Which is why I offer the following excerpts from a truly inspiring “thank you” speech delivered by Sam Miller, an emeritus trustee of the Cleveland Clinic, at the clinic’s 2012 Professional Excellence Awards:
“You mean a lot to me personally and you mean a lot to each other, for you are, as far as I’m concerned, the veritable guardians of this community.
“Someday after enough DNA tests, they will discover the gene in doctors making you walking hearts, perennial consciences, and empathetic human beings. And when they do, they will look for this gene in all humanity, and we will have found the answer to wars and to peace and to love. Love means reaching towards neighbors and the world with the same care, regard, generosity and empathy we normally reserve for ourselves and those closest to us,” he said. “This is the gene that a doctor has inherited.”
“You will not have to wait for your reward in heaven,” Miller said. “Every day when you see the smiles of the sick, the poor, the look of hope and momentary happiness of that particular unfortunate that you’ve been able to help, that is heaven by itself. That is the magnificent gene that you possess.”
I offer heartfelt thanks to Mr. Miller for his deeply moving words, and I invite you, my fellow family physicians, to share your stories of patients whose expressions of appreciation have truly inspired you.