Spreading hope one card at a time for doctors' well-being

The Podcast by KevinMD

Physician advocate and physical therapist Kim Downey, physician coach Erin Hurley, and patient advocate Dawn Veselka discuss their article, "Spreading hope one card at a time: How small acts of kindness can make a big difference for doctors." They highlight the emotional toll of medicine, noting a concerning shift in how physicians describe their work—from fulfilling to exhausting and demoralizing—contributing to burnout rates near 50 percent and high suicide rates. Kim, Erin, and Dawn champion the power of simple acts of kindness, like handwritten notes, to combat this, referencing Erin's personal experience receiving encouraging cards during medical school. They introduce the expansion of Dawn's Cards2Warriors Happy Mail program to include doctors, challenging listeners to write a note of appreciation by Doctors' Day (March 30) to refuel and rekindle hope in physicians. The conversation emphasizes that such small gestures can create a ripple effect of positivity throughout the health care community, ultimately improving well-being and potentially patient interactions. Actionable takeaways include writing a thank-you note to a doctor, signing up for or supporting the Cards2Warriors program, and organizing local card-writing events.

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