I'm blogging 30 posts in 30 days for National Health Blog Post Month with @wegohealth.
Join me: http://info.wegohealth.com/nhbpm2012 #NHBPM
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| Look, I'm sure this is great for kids, but I don't want to have a pelvic exam in the safari room. Just saying. |
Yesterday I didn't blog due to obsessive CNN watching and stress eating. I'm feeling much better today. That means another 2-for-1 post, GET EXCITED.
Prompt 6: Write about a time you had to take the high road.
Prompt 7: Redesign a doctor's office or hospital room.
I honestly can't pinpoint a concrete example of where I've taken the high road (trying sooooo hard not to make pot jokes right now); maybe I don't do it that often. However, I think a version of taking the high road is allowing other people to have different viewpoints and being confident enough in yourself to not have to justify your opinions or try to "win" every fight. Obviously, 6+ hours of continuous election coverage last night meant exposure to a whole stable of talking heads, both democrat and republican. Our political landscape is divisive and fractured, and often the debate over issues turns nasty. I'm as guilty as everyone else of sinking my claws into an opinion and refusing to shake free, but I also realize I don't have the monopoly on "rightness." I don't think reaching complete consensus on an issue is possible, or even healthy.
Bringing this around to Crohn's, as this is a Crohn's blog, I've come to realize that other people will have opinions about my health that I don't agree with. At first, I thought I had to EDUCATE EVERYONE and make sure we were all in agreement; I felt like since I had the disease, I got to dictate the thoughts and feelings of the people around me. If this year has had a theme, it would be "shit I can't control"-and this is another thing to add to the list. It's ok if people don't agree with me about how I'm handling my Crohn's-the problem comes when they try to force those views onto me or voice their opinions in a way that is offensive or callous. They have a right to disagree (hell, my own doctor does), and I have the right to kick them in the bad place. See how that works?
If taking the high road means being gracious, and accepting stupid/hurtful comments in the caring spirit in which they were offered, I'm working on it.
Now, to the interesting question! I've been thinking about the notion of redesigning a doctor's office, and I came to the conclusion that I don't want much to change. There is something calming about the fact that all doctor's offices, across disciplines, look the same; like a McDonald's in Australia, I know what to expect. I don't want cutesy artwork, or soothing pastel paint; I don't want tufted armchairs, or chandeliers on the ceiling. This is a doctor's office, not a spa, hotel room, or coffee shop. It doesn't have to be cute. Besides, extra clutter/decoration would only detract from the most important feature of an exam room: cleanliness. If you can't pour a bucket of disinfectant on it, it doesn't belong in the room.
A note on the picture above: I once had to have a lengthy procedure (2-3 hours) in a room that was apparently used for pediatric patients. There were happy robins and rainbows and clouds painted on the cheerful blue walls, and as I lay there I became increasingly irritated at the innocent woodland creatures. Suffering and medical procedures shouldn't happen under the bright eyes and bushy tails of the inhabitants of the enchanted forest. It was creepy-but then again I'm not a three year old. Anyway.
Here are a few things that I think would enhance the MEDICAL experience in the doctor's room-I spend enough time in them to know.
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| BIG SCREENS ARE USEFUL. This lady agrees. |
1.) Big ass screens
Every exam room has a computer, but how useful would it be to have a big ass screen, that you could ACTUALLY SEE, where the doctor showed you images and maybe a fancy computer generated animation of your condition? I'm always trying to look at the damn computer and then I feel like I'm all up in my doctor's business. Plus, maybe they could draw on them like football commentators. That could be fun.
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| This waiting room is hot because of the doctor's smouldering gaze. Rowr! |
2.) Programmable thermostats
I always get hot in the waiting room, and not in the good way. I don't care if it was just a matter of a few degrees-giving the patient the ability to control the temp would make the wait a little more pleasant. I'm always opening the door a crack, and then a nurse always closes it, because patient confidentiality blah blah. But really, I DO NOT CARE about the random lady's hernia in exam room C, I JUST WANT TO GET A BREEZE GOING.
3.) Non-institutional clocks
I guess this falls under the "decor" category, but I just wish that the clocks didn't look like they belong in a school (or a prison).
4.) Non-abrasive Kleenex
That shit is like knit sandpaper.
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| Like these, but not about Herpes. |
5.) Medical pamphlets
I've been to at least one doctor that had pamphlets in the exam room, and it was sure as hell more interesting to read through these bad boys than a copy of Field and Stream from 1996. Most doctors have pamphlets in the waiting room, but who wants to grab a bunch of them in front of other people? If adults don't get a lollipop for good behavior after doctor's visits, there should be at least some takeaway gift. Like a pamphlet about colonoscopies! I KNOW I WANT ONE.
I think that's a good start. As I said, I like my exam rooms sterile, just like I like my doctors in white coats, my stethoscopes warmed up, and my sedatives strong. I don't need the waiting room to be sea foam blue-as long as there is a jug of hand sanitizer, a crinkly paper wrapping on the exam table, and a hint of disinfectant in the air, I'm good to go.
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