COVID-19 is clearly creating significant change in how daily lives are pursued. The impacts on healthcare as an industry are profound and how physicians continue to provide patient care is being challenged. Those in group practices, as well as those within institutional environments, are all now faced with the prospect for how to develop new approaches in their professional pursuits. The changing environment in healthcare provides all physicians with a unique opportunity to develop and implement larger scales of change for the industry, as a result. Dr. Peter Angood is president and CEO of the American Association for Physician Leadership, the only association solely focused on providing professional development, leadership education, and management training exclusively for physicians since its founding in 1975. In that role since 2012, he has continuously promoted the charge that "at some level, all physicians are leaders." The book is a frank dialogue and call to action on how all physicians can reach their fullest potential by becoming and remaining more engaged while inspiring engagement in others. It is also a clear-eyed look at the positive and trusted role physicians exercise in every sector of the healthcare industry. Including chapters on wellness and burnout, patient safety, lifelong learning and the necessary personal and professional competencies for physicians, Dr. Angood's commentaries are uniquely astute and bold. He asserts that physicians remain the most trusted and dominant conduit for care and decision-making within the multidisciplinary sphere of healthcare and, further, with increasing demands for quality care and patient satisfaction, the physician leader is well-positioned and deserves an equitable say in shaping the future of the healthcare industry. "The research shows that the benefit of a physician-led organization is improved patient outcomes and decreased costs," says Dr. Angood. "While academia and basic science research continue to expand the scientific knowledge of medicine at rapid rates, technology, pharmaceuticals, device innovation and digital communication all are redefining their value equation with physicians as leaders in their organizations." This book of personal reflections on healthcare and the state of the industry is precisely that: personal. Dr. Angood's goal is for the various chapters to spur personal reflection among physicians while instilling in them a renewed sense of privilege and commitment to the profession.

Discover how storytelling and narrative unite us with the medical field in, “Story Treasures: Medical Essays and Insights in the Narrative Tradition,” by Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA. The book is divided into two sections: Section 1: Essays Section 2: Insights Fifty narratives offer constructive viewpoints and insights that capture the resilience of the human spirit, the intricacies of the human body, and the profound impact of empathy and compassion in caring for patients. Each story is a pearl, offering a glimpse into the challenges, triumphs, and moments of introspection that define the medical profession and life as a whole. These stories are not merely anecdotes from the author’s career; they are reflections on life, the essence of being, and the universal quest for meaning in times of uncertainty. Through these narratives, Dr. Lazarus uncovers not only the intellectual and technical aspects of medical practice but also the emotional and philosophical dimensions that often remain hidden from public view—for example, career turmoil; generational conflict; artificial intelligence; and ethical and leadership challenges, to name a few. He extends an invitation to readers to pause, reflect, and appreciate the intricate dance between health and illness, life and death, joy and sorrow. Readers will find within these pages not only a deeper understanding of the medical world but also a renewed appreciation for the resilience and beauty of the human spirit. Join Dr. Lazarus in this journey, where each essay is a treasure, and each insight a gem. Collectively, his stories reaffirm the preciousness of life and the enduring strength of the human heart.

Physicians enter their professions with the highest of hopes and ideals for compassionate and efficient patient care. Along the way, however, recurring problems arise in their interactions with some patients that lead physicians to label them as "difficult." Some studies indicate that physicians identify 15% or more of their patients as "difficult." The negative feelings that physicians have toward these patients may lead to frustration, cynicism. and burnout. Changing How We Think about Difficult Patients uses a multi-tiered approach to bring awareness to the difficult patient conundrum, then introduces simple, actionable tools that every physician, nurse, and caregiver can use to change their mindset about the patients who challenge them. Positive thoughts lead to more positive feelings and more effective treatments and results for patients. They also lead to more satisfaction and decreased feelings of burnout in healthcare professionals. How does this book give you an advantage? Caring for difficult patients poses a tremendous challenge for physicians, nurses, and clinical practitioners. It may contribute significantly to feelings of burnout, including feelings of exhaustion, cynicism, and lost sense of purpose. In response, Dr. Naidorf offers a pragmatic approach to accepting patients the way they are, then provides strategies for providers to find more happiness and satisfaction in their interactions with even the most challenging patients and families. Here are just some of the topics the author discusses in detail: What Makes a "Good" Patient? The Four Core Ethical Principals of the Clinician-Patient Relationship The Four Models of the Physician-Patient Relationship What Challenges Anybody with Illness or Injury? How "Good" Patients Handle the Challenges of Illness and Injury Six Common Reactions to Illness and Hospitalization On "Taking Care of the Hateful Patient" Standards for Education in Medical Ethics De-escalation Strategies Cultural, Structural, and Language Issues Types of Patients Who Tend to Challenge Us The Think, Feel, Act Cycle Recognizing Our Preconceived Thoughts Three Common Thought Distortions About Patients Asking Useful Questions Getting Out of the Victim Mentality Guiding our Thoughts Through a Common Scenario Show Compassion, Feel Compassion If you're a healthcare provider or caregiver, Changing How We Think about Difficult Patients will give you the benefit of understanding your most challenging patients, and a roadmap to positively changing your mindset and actions to better deliver care and compassion for all.

Doctors are taught how to cure people. But they don’t always know how to care for them. Hardly anyone is happy with American healthcare these days. Patients are getting sicker and going bankrupt from medical bills. Doctors are burning out and making dangerous mistakes. Both parties blame our nation’s outdated and dysfunctional healthcare system. But that’s only part of the problem. In this important and timely book, Dr. Robert Pearl shines a light on the unseen and often toxic culture of medicine. Today’s physicians have a surprising disdain for technology, an unhealthy obsession with status, and an increasingly complicated relationship with their patients. All of this can be traced back to their earliest experiences in medical school, where doctors inherit a set of norms, beliefs, and expectations that shape almost every decision they make, with profound consequences for the rest of us. Uncaring draws an original and revealing portrait of what it’s actually like to be a doctor. It illuminates the complex and intimidating world of medicine for readers, and in the end offers a clear plan to save American healthcare.

Recapturing Joy in Medicine by Amaryllis Sanchez Wohlever, MD, contains a powerful prescription for physicians today who are practicing medicine during a time of crisis in the healthcare industry; one that is fueling an epidemic of physician burnout. From dealing with poor electronic healthcare records systems and insurance company intrusions to inadequate staffing to loss of clinical autonomy, doctors are facing myriad obstacles to providing excellent, compassionate patient care. As a physician, a physician coach, author, and speaker, Dr. Sanchez Wohlever understands the lives of doctors firsthand and writes this coaching manual to help them find the joy they once found in caring for patients. Within, physicians find practical ways to practice self-care, ask for the help they need, and to place doctor-patient relationships back at the center of their practices. This book is a hopeful call to action for physicians to reclaim their passion for patient care.

They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"Luke 24:32 A simple prayer with a patient transformed this doctor's experience of caring for the sick. What had been good doctor-patient encounters turned into eaningful human interactions where hurts are shared and comfort made real. Aware of Jesus' presence, compassion, and love, patient and doctor alike have experienced a new way to relate, to heal, and to live. In the hustle and bustle of modern healthcare, Dr. Mari's reflections on the Gospel according to Luke offer a transforming message for medical professionals and caregivers. Join Dr. Mari, Dr. Luke, and the Great Physician and learn to care for people from the heart. No more ministering to people with overwhelming needs from a depleted soul and on your own strength. Learn to abide in Jesus, the Healer, and you will minister out of His abundance and in the power of the Spirit. "As you take this journey with Dr. Mari, you will sense a friend alongside of you ... sharing your struggles, lifting your spirits, reminding you of your true calling, and pointing you back toward your first love! Healthcare students, professionals, and their spouses are certain to be encouraged and inspired as they take this 120-day walk with Jesus in healthcare!" J. Scott Ries, MD, FAAFP National Director of Campus & Community Ministries Vice President, Christian Medical and Dental Associations Dr. Mari is married to a pilot-turned-preacher and is the happy mom of three terrific children. As a doctor, she strives to care for the soul and minister to the spirit while treating the body. In thanksgiving for God's love and grace, she lives to share the transforming and healing power of His Word.