Stanford Health Care CEO David Entwistle learned "small gestures," such as bedside explanations and care updates, were what made "a world of difference" during his time as a patient in the intensive care unit.
In a post written for Stanford Medicine's blog Scope, Mr. Entwistle reflected on the care he received at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City while he was a CEO at the institution.
In 2009, Mr. Entwistle suffered a traumatic brain injury after a bicycle crash during a triathlon. He spent a week in the University of Utah Hospital's ICU. During his recovery, Mr. Entwistle saw his hospital through the eyes of a patient who was dependent on healthcare professionals, an experience he described as "humbling."
As a patient, he learned "small gestures can make a world of difference." He added that he "learned the power of empathy — how you can help someone immensely by simply being present and attuned to their needs. These are lessons that will always remain with me."
Mr. Entwistle said using empathy to guide digital changes in healthcare will help future care teams better anticipate patients' needs and "will create more space for high-touch care — the things I valued most as a patient."
Read the full blog post here.
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