Dr John M

cardiac electrophysiologist, cyclist, learner

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The basics…

September 18, 2011 By Dr John

I needed some uplift.

And look what I saw hanging distantly on a dusty wall of the basement:

Circa 1989...UCONN

I read it, again. There was a churn, from within. Sometimes it helps to remember the basics—the bottom line, the real meaning, the forest, not the trees or the CPT codes, or the…(many) negative things that draw our hearts, our minds, and our souls from the basics.  At least it helps me.

I liked what the words said.

Service of humanity…Check.

Respect our teachers…Check, no, double-check that one. Thanks to all those who taught (teach) me.

Practice with conscious and dignity. RT!

Serve the patient as the primary master. That’s my blog-er translation. 2000 years didn’t affect the timeliness of this one.

Keep the patients’ secrets a secret. As a patient myself,  I respect this one more and more.

Maintain the honor and nobility of the medical profession. I’d substitute here the caveat that we, as human doctors, need to be judged as humans. Would you rather have a computer, or a highly fallible human looking after you?

The religion, social standing or race of the patient matter not. No comment needed.

Maintain the utmost respect for human life. I do. But here I would also add this entry on how–at least some believe–Hippocrates felt about medical treatment. In this era of almost limitless, sometimes very un-gentle treatment options, this tenet seems apropos:

Hippocratic medicine was humble and passive. The therapeutic approach was based on “the healing power of nature” (“vis medicatrix naturae” in Latin)…Hippocratic therapy focused on simply easing this natural process….In general, Hippocratic medicine was very kind to the patient; treatment was gentle…

And my favorite:

My colleagues will be my brothers and sisters.

So it’s easy to like the basics. I look forward to “work” tomorrow.

And to living long enough to see that our treatments may grow kinder, gentler, and more humble.

JMM

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  4. Trying to figure out “patient-centered” care…

Filed Under: Doctoring, Reflection Tagged With: Hippocrates

John Mandrola, MD

Welcome, Enjoy, Interact. john-mandrola I am a cardiac electrophysiologist practicing in Louisville KY. I am also a husband to a palliative care doctor, a father, a bike racer, and a regular columnist at theHeart.org | Medscape

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Find me on theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology

  • Electrophysiology commentary on Medscape/Cardiology

Mandrola on Medscape

  • My Medscape column on general medical matters

For patients...Educational posts

  • 13 things to know about Atrial Fibrillation — 2014
  • A new cure of AF
  • Adding a new verb to doctoring: To deprescribe is to do a lot
  • AF ablation — 2015 A Cautionary Note
  • AF Ablation in 2012–An easier journey?
  • Atrial Flutter — 15 facts you may want to know.
  • Benign PVCs: A heart rhythm doctor’s approach.
  • Caution with early Cardioversion
  • Decisions of 2 low-risk cases of PAF
  • Defining success in AF ablation in 2014
  • Four commonly asked questions on AF ablation
  • Inflammation and AF — Get off the gas
  • Ten things to expect after AF ablation
  • The medical decsion as a gamble
  • The most important verb in our health crisis
  • Wellness Requires Ownership

 

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