Jade Coats, OD, FAAO, of Rogers, Arkansas, wants to be known as an empathetic OD in the medical clinic where she works. She knows what it’s like to hear a scary diagnosis. She lost a younger brother to cancer and is a cancer survivor herself. Some health care professionals were better at having important conversations with her and her family. Even her time working as an optician has helped her understand patients’ struggles with vision and appearance. All of these experiences come together in her approach to be as empathetic as possible.
It takes no additional time to ask open-ended questions about how the patient’s vision impacts their daily life, for example. And she’s always ready with a set of resources to support groups to help patients undergoing treatment or their caretakers, who carry their own burdens.
When she does need to present a patient with a frightening diagnosis, “it is important to acknowledge their emotions and reassure them that their concerns are valid.”
A MESSAGE OF HOPE
Delivering such a diagnosis “requires both clarity and compassion in that moment. An empathetic optometrist not only explains the diagnosis but provides emotional support right then and there and helping the patient to process their fears. Offering hope in that moment is key. So even if there’s progressive loss of vision, I tell my patients it’s not over until it’s over. I’m going to do everything I can to be your cheerleader and your support.
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