New Book Review!!
Discovery - What happens when a Buddy Suggests a Book?
Victor Kolade MD, Member AIAMC Board of Directors
Have you ever attended a presentation but not acted on it until 3
years later?
Stephen Trzeciak, physician
scientist and Professor of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan
University, made a presentation to the Guthrie community about his book Compassionomics
in 2019. However, I did not read the book until a challenge to review it
was publicly handed to me during a break-out session at the 2022 AIAMC Annual
Meeting. And a great ‘flying buddy’ and elementary school teacher named Britney
provided silent encouragement as I read the first fifty pages of Compassionomics.
Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence that Caring makes a Difference was
birthed out of a literature review intended to provide a springboard for
patient experience initiatives at Cooper University Health Care. The authors
determined that there is a ‘compassion crisis’ in healthcare (1). Yet
compassion can translate to physiological and psychological health benefits, as
well as enhanced patient self-care and better quality of care (p. 42).
Even
if You Just Read the Preface!
·
A challenge
jumped out at me from the preface of this book and got me thinking. What, in my
view, is the most pressing problem in my sphere of function? Of the different
things that I am opportune to do, what deserves my focus? What roles or tasks
do I have internal clarity for?
·
I was stuck here
for a long time. (My recent approach to this has been to identify the things
that do not beckon me the most and leave them alone if I can)
The
Data. Studies
referenced in Compassionomics are clear: physicians, nurses and nursing
aides can improve patient care when their patients perceive compassion has been
shown to them.
·
In my practice,
one of our patient service specialists calls patients to remind or alert them
of lab work needed to complete their diabetes bundle (hemoglobin A1c, LDL,
microalbumin) and successfully navigates them to the lab; likely she does so
with compassion. You can learn more about this in the recent National Initiative VII Sustainability Webinar (Go to 25:46).
‘Compassion protects the vulnerable’ (p. 179). Also referenced by
Trzeciak and Mazzarelli is data showing knowing one’s purpose in life – a
concept I like to explore with patients - increases the likelihood of patients
complying with health screening recommendations.
Compassionomics references data that indicates hospitals with
higher patient experience ratings have higher profit margins than hospitals
with lower patient satisfaction scores (p. 219).
·
I read this while
curating a new resident orientation curriculum for patient experience with a
teammate who had alluded to a noticeable absence of outreach towards others as
she walked our elevators and halls - and drew new inspiration for practicing
and modeling compassion.
The book goes on
to cite research suggesting the injection of compassionate statements worth an extra
32-56 seconds in a patient-clinician interaction translates to a meaningful
positive difference of patient perception of the interaction that may last six
months (p. 256).
·
I agree that spending time connecting
with patients improves their satisfaction and outcomes but contend from
experience that 40 seconds per encounter is insufficient to maximize patient
experience and clinician well-being; there appears to be a dose-response aspect
to the power of compassion to provide benefit, which is discussed in relation
to clinician wellness (p. 304-5). Note: Compassionomics authors do cite a
study to the effect that ‘time affluence’ – the perception of having plenty of
time, not being in a rush, and being willing to give more time to others – is
boosted by spending time on others rather than on oneself (p. 260); it turns
out our orientation message to new residents is to say to patients: ‘I have
time’.
Burnout? Compassionomics also presents data
implying the practice of compassion is protective against clinician burnout.
And that being other focused mitigates depression and anxiety.
·
I have had opportunities for burnout before
making this discovery, but currently benefit from a personal strategic plan of
other centeredness!
My Bottom Line? It seems that compassion, like other aspects
of medical care, lends itself to lifelong learning. That, for me, is the
message of Compassionomics.
Reference
1. Trzeciak, S. & Mazzarelli, A.
(2019). Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific
Evidence that Caring makes a difference. Studer Group, Pensacola.
Dr. Victor Kolade is Clinical Professor of Medicine & Regional Clerkship Director for Internal Medicine, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.
Ready to do a book review of your own? If you recently read/reviewed a book, please contact us so that we
can consider including your narrative on our blog!! kimberly@aiamc.org