Who’s on the Team?

As an incoming second year medical student, I hardly have any clinical experience. My school is beginning to stress the importance of interprofessional education and emphasizing how everyone from the housekeeping staff to the administrators is important in the healthcare team, and I see the importance of each person’s role. However, one piece of the team is rarely discussed – the patient and his/her family. When we reviewed the Lewis Blackman story today, it was discussed how his mother, Helen, was the only constant in his care. Helen, her husband, and Lewis were the only people who witnessed the entirety of the very fragmented care that he received. I have heard that patients and their families are supposed to be a part of the health care team, but I did not truly understand what their role was other than making the final decision on treatment plans. Now I understand that… Continue reading →