MINDFUL MEDICAL HOW TO

Being Present - be aware of and engaged in the moment.

Epstein: youвЂ™re an expert, but recognize there may be another way to look at this, i.e., take multiple perspectives.

BeginnerвЂ™s Mind - see a situation with new eyes.

Curiosity - have an educated and informed curiosity, i.e., whatвЂ™s different this time or whatвЂ™s new with this patient?.

William Osler: we miss more by not seeing than by not knowing. In his book, he references a remark by Dr. Be ready to switch to a more deliberative mode. Epstein says most of what doctors do is routine, so those tasks become automatic. Attention - donвЂ™t get trapped by the expected.Intention - clarify whatвЂ™s most important to you (i.e., your values), and set aside the things that have nothing to do with the patient.To him, there are five foundations of mindfulness: Epstein describes mindfulness as вЂњthe moment-to-moment purposeful attentiveness, to your physical and mental processes during everyday work.вЂќ The goal? вЂњPractising with clarity and compassion,вЂќ he says. вЂњItвЂ™s about paying attention to whatвЂ™s actually happening.вЂќД«y their nature, minds are active. вЂњMindfulness has nothing to do with emptying your mind, or achieving a state of calm,вЂќ says Dr. Start by dispelling the notion that mindfulness is about sitting in a quiet room, meditating to find bliss. DonвЂ™t empty your mind - pay attention to it

MINDFUL MEDICAL HOW TO

Epstein talked to Dialogue about what defines mindfulness, why it matters for doctors, and how to begin practising mindfully. HeвЂ™s among the foremost experts in mindful medical practice, an advocate for improving doctor-patient communications, and a Professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry & Oncology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Epstein has spent much of his career researching patient-centred care. But mentally, he says, you might be in a whole different place - distracted, thinking but not feeling, and perhaps not in the mindset to fully serve your patient.Дr. When you walk into an exam room, are you really there? Not necessarily, says Dr. And the necessary, but habitual parts of the job, can put our brains on auto-pilot. Doctors need to focus, but may not always on what matters most. He says it captures some realities of medical practice. Ronald Epstein included that tidbit in his book, Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness and Humanity. вЂњQuiet,вЂќ the doctor said, вЂњI canвЂ™t hear you when IвЂ™m listening.вЂќДr.

A primary care internist once described a time when he was in the midst of listening to a patientвЂ™s heart with his stethoscope.

Mindful medical