Many of our patients have just had it! They are angry, frustrated, disappointed, and disillusioned. For many patients, the healthcare they receive is inadequate and incomplete... a miss on the part of their doctors and healthcare teams. We are not talking about the accuracy of medical care but about how patients are treated.
There is an empathy and kindness gap in healthcare, and many of us, as patients, have experienced it. It has existed for many years and continues to exist today. Behind every chart is a human story. Healthcare is personal! Healing begins not with the diagnosis but with connection.
"The Kindness Gap, Reviving the Heart of Medicine - a Doctor's Perspective", by Dr. Bob Stuart, validates years of patients' frustrations and concerns. What happened to kindness in healthcare? The stressors and complexities of a medical practice are not the patient's fault! In an age of burnout, rushed appointments, and impersonal care, something essential has gone missing from health care...kindness!
This "gap" is a lack of understanding of the dynamic aspects affecting how patients are best understood and a lack of understanding of the true positive impact of treating each and every patient with kindness and empathy. Can we fix this? The answer is a resounding yes!
"The Kindness Gap, Reviving the Heart of Medicine, A Doctor's Perspective," is a compilation of work, a doctor's perspective, and that of many patients, written to educate and restore the importance of compassionate physician-patient relationships. Healthcare for all of us is personal; it is time for those providing care to patients to accept that responsibility. The book is a call for a return to the compassionate roots of medicine.
Dr. Stuart is a seasoned physician with over 40 years of patient care, physician leadership, and staff interaction. He has had extensive interaction with patients, whose input you will read in this book. He has also experienced healthcare many times from the patient perspective. Based on these vast experiences, this powerful and practical book offers a heartfelt examination of what's gone wrong - and how we can make it better.
For physicians, medical students, and all the members of the medical team, this book serves as a guide to more empathetic, human-centered care, without losing efficiency or professionalism. It also provides a compass for doctors and the entire medical staff, guiding them towards more compassionate and effective care... "reviving the heart of medicine". For patients and families, it's the voice of validation and hope, reassuring them that kindness still belongs in the exam room.
Whether you wear a white coat or sit in the waiting room, The "Kindness Gap" will change the way you see medicine - and show how healing starts with how we treat each other.
In this book, read the actual stories by patients and what they are asking for, and learn ideas, tips, and detailed action steps towards improving compassionate patient care and restoring trust in healthcare.
