Episode 80 RheumyRounds: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Improving Office Communication

Welcome to another Rheumy Rounds episode where we bring Rheumatologists and patients to the table. During this episode, we are going to be discussing the good, the bad and the ugly in office visits. In an effort to improve office visits and patient experiences, we will be collecting YOUR stories and examples of Good, Bad, and just downright Ugly office visits. We will turn this collection into an eBook and AiArthritis (patients) and rheumatologists will read your submissions and work together to create recommendations to improve office communications (citing YOUR examples!) 

During this episode, Kerry Wong and Tiffany Westrich-Robertson share their experiences as patients and Dr. Lisa Zickuhr shares her perspective as a physician. Together on this episode, we highlight the importance of communication, compassion and openness in bettering patient-doctor relationships. 

IF YOU ARE A PATIENT/FAMILY OR RHEUMATOLOGIST, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR STORIES FOR THIS PROJECT AT https://www.aiarthritis.org/gbu

 

Episode Highlights: 

• AiArthritis is creating an Ebook with a collection of patient stories of the good, the bad and the ugly to study these interactions and help improve patient care.
• Kerry, Tiffany and Dr. Lisa Zickuhr share their experiences with undiagnosed and misdiagnosis and patient care 
• How a doctor can approach a patient who they are unable to diagnosis in the beginning stages 
• Patients need to be receptive to a physician's message as much as a physician needs to be empathetic to the patient
• The importance of knowing what to do next or monitor for if you’re tests come back negative so the patient doesn’t feel left without any direction
• Information sharing between the doctor and patient can be the difference between a bad and good interaction even without diagnosis

 

Links Mentioned: 

Come share your stories for the new AiArthritis Ebook : The Good, The Bad & The Ugly : AiArthritis.org/gbu

• Tiffany is the CEO at International Foundation for AiArthritis and uses her professional expertise in mind-mapping and problem solving to help others, like her, who live with AiArthritis diseases work in unison to identify and solve unresolved community issues.

 

Connect with Tiffany:

• Facebook: @TiffanyAiArthritis
• Twitter: @TiffWRobertson
• LinkedIn: @TiffanyWestrichRobertson

 

• Kerry was eventually diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Sarcoidosis, Small Fiber Neuropathy, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Sjögren's Syndrome (to name a few). Kerry is a volunteer at New York State Advocacy Chair, Ambassador with Arthritis Foundation, and Patient Ambassador/Peer Mentor with Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research. Kerry does all she can to support the arthritis, sarcoidosis, chronic illness, and rare disease communities

 

Connect with Kerry:

    Instagram: @buttahflyk 

    Twitter: @buttahflyk 

    Facebook: @floatlikeabuttahfly

 

• Dr. Lisa Zickuhr 

Dr. Zickuhr is a rheumatologist and clinician educator who devotes half of her time to caring for patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases and half to educating physicians in training. Her clinical interests lie in treating patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and other related conditions. She also cares for patients using telemedicine and is interested in the best ways to teach health care professionals how to communicate with and examine patients virtually.

 

Connect with Dr. Lisa Zickuhr:

      Instagram: @washumedicine

      Twitter : @WUSTLmed

 

Donate to Support the Show: https://www.aiarthritis.org/donate 

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AiArthritis Voices 360 is produced by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis. Visit us on the web at www.aiarthritis.org/talkshow. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook (@IFAiArthritis) or email us (podcast@aiarthritis.org).  Be sure to check out our top-rated show on Feedspot!