Philip Gould Coaching

News Flash ! Recently Discovered …. DOCTORS ARE HUMAN BEINGS.

Years ago this was blasphemy.
In Medical School from 1920 to 1999, it is taught that: First, you are a Medical Doctor, and secondly, you are a human being.
Thirdly, you are a male, or a female.

Today, you now know that First you are a living creature, then secondly, you are a member of the group called Homo Sapiens.
Thirdly … male, female, gay, le***an, transvestite, bi-sexual, gender neutral, pro gender, anti-gender, genderless, other, unclassifiable, un known, alien, an illusion… etc. etc.. whatever….

But Harvard has finally proven, that for all intense and purposes… Doctors are human.

This is an earth shattering discovery. That means they are not superhuman. They are not infallible, they need healthy food, exercise and quality rest and sleep, just like humans who are not doctors.
However, some doctors today, refuse to accept this data driven, factually correct scientific discovery.

Today in 2021, about 50 % of medical students, interns, residents, and physicians have experienced or are experiencing some form of BURNOUT.
The symptoms of this malady include:
Insomnia, sleep deprivation, decrease of cognitive ability, loss of personalization, emotional exhaustion, anxiety, loss of memory, decrease of decision-making abilities, social withdrawal, infidelity drug abuse, alcohol abuse, weight gain, diabetes, moodiness, loss in interest, lack of any sense of accomplishment, sarcasm, cynicism, loss of control, etc. The list goes on and on.
Most doctors have at least two or three of these issues. Some… much more.
It can be devastating. In Fact, 250,000 people in America die each year due to medical errors. About 30 % or more of these errors are due to doctors’ burnout.

Providing optimal patient care requires that doctors are not burned out. It’s an epidemic. Even a Doctor would not want a burnout doctor taking care of him or her.
So, How can we take these ( former “human”) DOCTORS….and re-program them and re-condition them into competent, compassionate, wise, healthy, brilliant communicators and diagnosticians, as well as physicians and surgeons.

How does a doctor become a great diagnostician, anyway?
THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION…..

One thing is for sure, if you are experiencing intense burnout, you are in no condition to become an expert diagnostician. Yet, isn’t that what Doctors went to medical School to become in the first place. It has been stated in many medical journals that approximately 50% of the time, patients are mis-diagnosed. That’s not a record to be proud of.

I am now developing a course in How to become an Expert Diagnostician, which I believe will be required of Doctors in the future.

To find out more, Just click the link below and you will be able to have a FREE Coaching Call with me.

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Why Doctors have to start caring about Trust.
By Philip Gould
Do Doctors need to care about Trust? You bet’ cha, they do. Doctors are the Guardians of a Public Trust.

If patients start losing faith in doctors because they think that the doctor doesn’t really listen to them, respect them, or trust them; they might stop going to see doctors all together.

Think about it.

If every time you went to a restaurant the host ignored you, and when you were finally seated, you waited 15 minutes before a waitress came to see you…. How would you feel?

If the food was not fresh, and once the waitress delivered your meal, she never, ever appeared again. And you had to wait 20 minutes before you finally got the check, and then waited another 10 minutes to get your change?

Would you ever go back?…. It’s doubtful!

What about the relationship between two doctors who are both taking care of a patient, or the lack of trust between the doctor and the nurse? Is this an issue? Yes !!

So, what is trust.

Trust is a type of confidence, belief or faith in a person, thing, organization, or any entity. Trust shows up in behavior.

I trust my watch, so it helps me guide my behavior. I trust my car, so I am never late to work. I trust the hospital I work at, and I always get paid on time. I trust you, means I rely on you and/or I believe in you. We usually need to be on the same page.

However, we need to ALSO trust that the other person in the equation is honest, accurate, correct, and competent.

So, is it wise for doctors to trust the pharmaceutical industry or trust the other doctors etc.? There was an article in Time Magazine about 20 years ago titled, “Why Doctors Hate Hospitals.” Trust and bureaucracy were the issues

That was published in 2006. Today, doctors not only face a loss of trust, but also Burnout. We need to change this situation.

Trust in the Medical Industry is vital because, “Health Equals Wealth.” No one ever wants to be sick or in pain, or incapable to taking care of themselves. Its something we all fear.

For doctors and nurses to be mentally and physically healthy we need to change the system. If they are not functioning at their best, we are doomed. Trust is essential for the following reasons.

If someone trusts you, you feel empowered and responsible. They gave you their trust, so in return you will give them competency, attention and transparency, honesty, and you will be willing to go the extra mile. What happens if you feel that they do NOT trust you. They doubt you, so you may start to doubt yourself. Maybe in the back of your mind you might think like this…”If they don’t care, then I won’t either.”

If you want to be trusted, what do you think is the first thing you need to do? It’s to focus your efforts on building trust. Things like, eye contact, a smile, a kind voice, super attentive listening, questioning, and probing, putting yourselves in their shoes, taking care of yourself, and letting them know you seek first to understand them before you seek to have them understand you. These behaviors go a long way.

The skills involved in building trust are extremely important. If the patient really trusts you, they will open up more and tell you more about their history. They won’t hide anything. They will participate with you in trying to make themselves better. They will listen to you and follow your instructions because you answer their questions – completely. They will become your partner.

You as a physician are trying to get them healthy again. They will work with you mentally and physically as well. Their mental frame of mind, attitudes, perspective, and levels of hope and optimism, will have a direct and significant impact on the treatment you provide. Rather than fight with you every step of the way, they will become an excellent teammate.

But first you must let them know that you want them to be your partner. You respect their opinion. After all its their body, and who knows better. But you are not afraid to share your knowledge and data with them. Hope, optimism, respect, and trust are the human qualities that Doctors need most. That’s in addition to the vast training and education they possess.

Vulnerability comes from Strength

Only the truly strong can become be vulnerable, because they fear nothing.
To be afraid of what others may think is a sign of weakness It is a lack of self-respect and a denial of your own very precious existence and life.
When you realize that it is so rare to be alive and to be born as a human, you can feel great gratitude.
Of all the trillions upon trillions of creatures you could be, you have the unlimited good fortune to be born as a human being.
This awareness helps you see your good points and your unique characteristics. You have unlimited potential.
As a human, you can learn, improve, grow and change. To do this, we always try and experiment, and often make mistakes.
However, only by making mistakes do we learn. There is no failure in life; only opportunities That is a positive human perspective you can easily adopt based on awareness.
This strength of character comes from self-realization. Whatever you have inside, it's yours. No one can take it away from you without your permission.
You are the owner of your own thoughts and feelings. You create them.
Since you create your own life, be happy, and never fear. Be appreciative of all you have, and don’t waste your time regretting what you don’t have.
What you do have is already limitless possibility for joy, love, appreciation, courage, wisdom and value.