As providers of health care, we must remember we are invited into our patients’ lives at some of their most vulnerable moments. No matter the situation, when we provide care with gratitude, respect and humility, we honor our patients’ choice to have us be their caregivers.
Like customers of a business, our patients choose where to get their health care. It is a privilege to take care of them. Through unwavering dedication to this belief and practice, we make decisions that align with our organizational priorities, the first of which is to put our patients and families first. When we pause and recognize how fortunate we are to be given this opportunity, the result is gratitude that transforms us personally and organizationally into a thriving, sustainable organization.
People pick up quickly on the gap between words and actions. Seemingly small gestures, word choices and the way we offer our opinions and expertise should serve to honor our patients: sitting down to talk and listen, touching a hand, and being aware that our expert training does not outweigh a person’s right to ask questions or express opinions based on his or her needs, beliefs and circumstances.
At ThedaCare, we “provide” care every day, all of which is possible because our patients trust us with their health. They give us purpose, allow us to fulfill our professional aspirations, and afford us one of the most rewarding vocations I know of, that of caregiver and health care provider. Our words and our actions express our gratitude to them and our appreciation for our colleagues who collaborate with us to genuinely care for the communities we serve.
Dr. Imran Andrabi is president and CEO of ThedaCare. To contact him, you can email askus@thedacare.org
