The Physician as the Patient: Learning from HMDCs’ Experiences-The Physician as the Patient: Learning from HMDCs’ Experiences

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Allison Jordan, a hospice and palliative care physician, shares her personal experience of being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in 2018. She explains that she had to advocate for herself and communicate openly with her medical team about her goals of care and treatment preferences. She highlights the importance of being honest with the team and building a strong team alignment. Despite feeling sick, Allison chose to continue working and found meaning in her work. She emphasizes the need to listen to patients, pay attention to their concerns, and adjust treatment plans accordingly. Tommy Farrell, a hospice and palliative care physician, discusses the symptoms he experienced during his cancer treatment and the importance of advocating for himself when it came to pain management. He also shares the challenges of feeling guilty for doing well when others in his support group were not. John Mulder, a hospice and palliative care physician, talks about the support he received from his organization and the challenges of relying on others when he was used to being independent. He discusses the emotional challenges and survivor's guilt he experienced after going into remission. The speakers emphasize the importance of being present and empathetic in patient care, as well as the need for healthcare providers to listen to their own bodies and advocate for themselves. They also highlight the ongoing symptoms and emotional challenges that can persist after cancer treatment.

Keywords

Allison Jordan

breast cancer

advocacy

medical team

goals of care

pain management

guilt

support group

emotional challenges

patient care