By KELLI MURRAY, MedSpeaks
If there's one thing that I am passionate about, it's being a witness to someone having an "a-ha!" moment. When you see someone's mind firmly connect to a concept - their brows instantly lifted with light bulbs beaming bright from their eyes - that's a pure and magical moment.
In healthcare today, we have too few of those magic moments. Patients and families find the systems and language overwhelming and confusing. We tell patients that they should or could, take this or do that, or else this, that, or the other will happen. But how often do you see the light bulb of understanding turn on in their eyes?
It should go without saying that these eureka moments do not apply to all situations, such as a life-ending diagnosis. What it does apply to, however, is in the way we help each other, our patients, and caregivers to better understand and relate to the patient's condition. It's in those opportunities that we need to create more lightbulb moments.
Over time, I've collected a small toolbox of very simple interactive learning and simulation activities that help people experience a condition without consequence. For example, a mobile virtual reality app that helps "normal" people understand what it's like to be a person with ADHD. Another is helping a parent with an asthmatic child to experience the symptoms of asthma themselves using drinking straws and a coffee stirrer while running in place for 30 seconds.
Recently, my fearless 6-year old daughter fractured her right humerus at the shoulder. Despite a long career in healthcare, as a mom I found the journey daunting. My first priority was to get her seen by a highly reputable emergency care provider and pediatric orthopedic specialist. Equally important however, was that I felt equipped to confidently and properly care for her at home.
Like many people, I enjoy games and riddles. But I found that the puzzle of getting her in and out of a t-shirt (without cutting it off), safely bathing her without the brace for support, cleansing her clenched underarm and getting it completely dried to thwart that stinky, itchy rash, and managing her pain for restful sleep, were all things I was ill-prepared for. Even worse, I hadn't really stopped to acknowledge what her experience must be like having her dominant arm and hand rendered unusable.
Wearing the slightly oversized sling she got from the ER, I tried to do all the things she had become highly frustrated with -- writing with my opposite hand, getting my seatbelt on, pulling my jeans up, washing my hands, even opening the peanut butter jar to make a sandwich. It was a series of "A-ha, I get it now!" moments that helped me experience her experience without the added downside of having to break my arm.
Ultimately, my fearless wonderchild and I teamed up MacGyver-style and, minus a few tearful and apologetic trials and errors, we puzzled and solved our way to experience many "a-ha!" moments together.
Regardless of disease or condition, we know that gaps of awareness, knowledge and skills are finely intertwined in the layers of accountable care. Interactive experiences and demonstrations allow providers, patients and caregiver alike to close those gaps and expand their understanding and empathy. Unfortunately, it's a significant element missing in today's healthcare settings but also a great opportunity to level up meaningful engagement.
If you have an interactive tip or activity you'd like to contribute, please email me at kelli@medspeaks.com or Tweet it @Med_Speaks.
