This photo is a throw-back to when my dad had been stuck in his recliner for a couple of days due to severe worsening metastatic bone pain to his hip. It only hurt if he moved his leg. So after scrambling to get the family to be with him, he had a telemedicine visit with his primary care doc who went above and beyond. With that visit, on her own initiative, she did the heavy lift of jumping through the hoops to get him a wheelchair. It was so good to see him smile - he could move independently and even get outside for the first time in a couple of weeks.
That's when I stopped using the phrase "Indirect Patient Care Activities" - because the term inadvertently seems to indicate less important/pressing. But seeing first-hand the huge difference it made directly on my dad's quality of life, I now refer to it as "Asynchronous Patient Care."
So this pause is to reflect on anything that comes to mind - the difference language makes, making an impact with seemingly annoying paperwork and calls, gratitude, or anything else. Have a joy-filled week! Tonya
PS. Thank you all for thankless, frustrating tasks. You may never know the impact. But you can think of my dad and his smile. π
Responses