Dear patients…
Yes, we heal what ails.
We also comfort, when all else fails.
We apply bandages to physical wounds, suture them well.
We apply salve to your emotional scars, listen intently to the story that your eyes tell.
We try to shine a light, guiding you through the chaotic healthcare system.
Sit beside you, take time to explain well, answering all your questions.
We are a team, doctors, nurses, CNA techs, registration staff, and many more.
Our common aim is to use our skills, to make you feel better than before.
Our goal is more than just treating your health problem.
We want to listen to all your worries & needs.
We are curious about you as a person & want to connect.
We share a community, we could bump into each other on the street!
Dear patients…
Healers now need your help,
As we are exhausted, burnt to the core…
We yearn for an authentic connection, respect, and mutual compassion.
Just like it used to be before…
Healthcare teams are no heroes; we are mere mortals answering our calling.
Won’t you hold our hand and pull us up? Prevent us from falling…
Dear patients…
I give you one task.
Do check on your doctors. I know it might be too much to ask.
A kind word or gesture would mean the world to us.
Together, let’s heal our relationship. Let’s fuel ourselves with compassion, caring, and trust.
Dr. Mehta
Dr. Mehta is a board-certified internal medicine physician working as an adult hospitalist at Common Spirit Health System in Redwood City, Calif. She is chair of the SHM Patient Experience Executive Council, a faculty member of the SHM Wellness Task Force, and an executive board member of the SHM Bay Area Chapter. As the national director of quality and experience for Vituity, Dr. Mehta leads programs designed to help health systems deliver world-class care to more than seven million patients across the U.S.
Beautiful words, Swati
Dr. Mehta, thanks for putting into words what we all are feeling. Thanks for all you do
Swati, what a powerful poem! Loved every careful and precise placement of your words.