A Healthcare Moment with Malcolm Gladwell
Patient engagement is extremely important, especially in this time of nonstop information
You may not be able to tell, but I’ve been very busy over the last couple of weeks. I’ve been on-the-go nonstop in places such as Boston, Texas, and California.
One highlight of my recent travels (and there were many) was a layover at the American Academy of Optometry medical conference in Anaheim. Our industry conference takes place every year (in different cities), and it’s something I absolutely look forward to.
Attending academy provides a chance to gain new clinical insights and interact with the world of optometry. Moreover, it’s also a chance to catch up with some old friends and colleagues who I don’t get to see very often.
In a nutshell, it’s a pretty enjoyable/engaging time for me.
A Moment with Malcolm Gladwell:
This year’s conference will go down as one of my favorites. This is because the guest speaker was none other than renowned author, Malcolm Gladwell.
Years ago when I was a young resident in Baltimore, my co-resident introduced me to his book Outliers. I was hooked. From there, I proceeded to read several more of his books. To this day, I look forward to each new one that hits the shelves.
As I listened to Mr. Gladwell, I was influenced by his professionalism. I was extremely eager to hear his thoughts on the topic of healthcare. More specifically, I wanted to see how his ideas could relate to “my world.” The world of health and eye care.
One major point of discussion was problems solving. In past years, medical professionals would be encouraged to find the cause of the problem, then the answer, then simply move on to another problem.
However, this particular approach is becoming more difficult. This may be a result of the enormous amount of available information. Today, many people are hesitant to use their own judgement and make their own decisions. And with due reason because the consequences of making a bad decision can be disastrous.
It reminds me of the old phrase, “Too much analysis leads to paralysis.”
If you read the book What The Dog Saw, you can get a better feel for Mr. Gladwell’s ideas and apply them to your own life. In the meantime, if any of Malcolm Gladwell’s books have influenced your life (in one way or another), drop me a line and let me know.
Live in Your OcularPrime:
In my opinion, medical professionals should try to slow down and engage with each patient, especially in this time of nonstop information. An excellent way to find the underlying cause of various diseases is to really know the individual patient. By doing this, the judgement necessary to manage (or even prevent) disease may become clear. It really doesn’t sound too complicated, but easier said than done, I’m sure.
Trust yourself.
From my personal standpoint, it’s quite gratifying to assist my patient’s with their eye care needs as necessary. I’m also happy to encourage them to make better health decisions on a daily basis. As a result of my recent learning experience, I look forward to getting back into the office with a renewed passion to preserve our “most precious sense.”
