I once mentioned to a medical resident how much I love my job, and it surprised her! She said she’d never heard a doctor say that before.
I was equally surprised by her reaction.
I’m so grateful for the positive impact I have on my patients’ lives and the deeper relationships I build with them through direct primary care. Our Priority Physicians patients are accustomed to a higher standard of care, a level most patients in traditional healthcare can’t reach. It’s rewarding for me because it’s rewarding for them.
But why don’t more doctors love their job? Shouldn’t everyone in healthcare feel this attitude of gratitude?
Seeing Dreams Come True
Why did I tell the resident that I loved my job? Here’s a little bit of the backstory:
Not long ago, I worked closely with a stage four cancer patient who was in her 80s. As an act of love, she wanted to take her kids and grandkids to the town of her ancestors in Scandinavia. While there, she also hoped for a side trip to the Louvre in Paris to fulfill a lifelong wish: seeing da Vinci’s famous painting of the Mona Lisa.
Because of her serious cancer diagnosis, the patient was apprehensive about the trip, so we devoted time to planning together. We carefully organized her travels around her scheduled chemotherapy sessions at home. I prepared travel packs of the medications she might need while away.
Then, together, we checked a map of the areas she’d visit to locate nearby hospitals. We determined which medical records she should bring in case of complications. And she left on her journey with the assurance that I’m always a call or a text away.
Ten days into her trip, I received a text with a picture of her standing in front of the Mona Lisa. Success!
Seeing the photo, I felt joy that my patient and friend had accomplished the dream she’d had since childhood. Both personally and professionally, it was so rewarding to go beyond typical medical care and empower her with the confidence to take the trip.
And I turned to the medical resident nearby and surprised her with, “I love my job!”
Happy Doctors Are Vital to Their Patients
Doctors want to do their best to help their patients. However, in traditional insurance-based healthcare, doctors often experience frustration and burnout. Because they must manage an extra-large patient panel, they rarely have the chance to fully appreciate their good work on each patient’s behalf.
Patients want a happy, healthy doctor. If their doctor can’t smile because they’re harried and overworked, that’s a problem. It’s estimated that 70% of primary care is mental health-related. But how can physicians serve patients well if they aren’t happy?
The Problem With Traditional Healthcare
Working as a traditional-care physician can be a double-edged sword. Although certainly a steady career, most physicians think they can only operate under the style of care they’re taught in medical school and residency.
They believe they must blindly accept those guidelines, with no room to “think outside the box.” Many traditional healthcare doctors begin to feel unempowered and stuck on a treadmill, forced by standards to see more and more patients.
It’s said that the patient’s “third complaint” is the one they really cared about. But a doctor with only six or seven minutes to spare typically doesn’t make it past complaint one or two.
In the standard-care system, a doctor may even hastily race through telling someone they have cancer because a deeper conversation will put them 30 minutes behind to see the next seven patients. Those encounters will become rushed as well. It’s a lose-lose situation.
The emotional and social strain of treating 20-to-30 patients a day is exhausting. It rarely allows doctors to form bonds with their patients. So, after a series of rushed office visits, standard-care doctors wonder if they’re really doing everything they can to help each patient. “Am I really making a difference… or just treating symptoms?”
The result for the doctor is low energy and a lack of purpose. Professionally, they see no hope for a better future — and that’s burnout.
The Promise of Direct Primary Care
I’m far more fortunate in direct primary care (DPC): I’ve never been on that metaphorical treadmill.
Our care standard at Priority Physicians means that the relationship between patient and physician — and the well-being of each — are equally vital.
We have the same rigorous training as traditional-care doctors, but with something extra: the time and energy to invest in our relationship with you.
In the DPC model of healthcare, I want what the patient wants. I’m free to align my incentives with theirs. I can determine what I think we should do with complete input from the patient about the outcomes they hope to achieve.
I want my friends to realize dreams, accomplish goals, be the best version of themselves, and have a great quality of life, regardless of their circumstances.
Happy Doctors Mean Satisfied Patients
Patients who place their lives and well-being — and their families — in a physician’s hands deserve the best quality care possible. They’ll get that from a direct primary care doctor who loves coming to work every day.
Yes, it’s true. I love my job, and so does the Priority Physicians team.
Our practice is growing: We’re adding new doctors, and we accept new patients every day. Get in touch for a chat. Or share this blog with a friend who’s looking for a more personalized healthcare experience.
