The Honey Thank You!

I walked into my room this morning and there was a gift on my desk.

It was a jar of honey.

I definitely appreciate it not being alcohol.

The honey was actually from the patient’s own beehive.

One of the benefits of living in the Byron Shire is that people are willing to make their own food — honey, kombucha, sauerkraut, jams…

The reason for the present is the patient had been facing a potential serious pathology and had an urgent scan done.

The result came back Friday and as soon as I had read it, and found it was benign — I jumped on the phone and called them.

They had an appointment for today.

So finding out that it was benign on Friday meant a lot to them.

It would have been a very long, stressful weekend while waiting.

I took from this experience that sometimes my choices make a big difference.

My choice to call straight away changed their weekend from a stressful wait to find out it was all ok, to one where they could relax.

As a doctor, there is a lot that has to go on in addition to consulting.

The paperwork is endless and the work is challenging.

But every now and then, my choices will have a major impact on the experience of the patient.

Perhaps I did not need to call.

It could have waited until today.

But… by acting and making the call, my decision positively impacted that patient… even if it was just one weekend.

The principle to take from this is that my choices make a difference.

If you need to stay on top of your game as a GP and have the energy and resources to positively impact your patients, then head over to https://graduatemedicine.com to check out the resources available.

Looking after yourself, as the doctor, is critical to being able to look after your patients and know that you do make a difference in the world.