A Child’s Curiosity

By Scott Kanagy, DO, chief medical officer, Atrium Medical Center

I recently sat and watched a young child explore and was struck by how curious they were about their surroundings, their interactions with people, and how things worked. It made me curious why so many people lose this skill as they grow older. I believe it’s because we normalize and accept our world as we age. This is a reality that I do not think any of us should accept. If more of us were curious about the events occurring around us and the people we interact with, great things could happen. During my masters of business administration studies I learned a valuable in-class lesson about the way curiosity can sometimes lead to a simple solution that benefits everyone. I wonder, as individuals interact, do they really think about what each person wants versus what they need and what others want and need? How could we improve the care of our patients if we were more curious about patients’ care barriers or why they are not getting better? What if we were more curious about the needs versus the wants of the many partners in our health care system that have different roles necessary to bring about better care versus our wants and needs? It seems to me that the solution to many of the concerns several people have in health care today are not that far away if only more people would be curious and have open conversations with each other.  At the center of this issue is the patient. Being more curious about the patient will bring the best care for that individual. Additionally, being curious health care providers while working together is crucial to providing great care. So next time you interact with a patient, be more curious. When interacting with colleagues and other partners in the health care system , be more curious, and seek out the common ground from which we can deliver the best care for our patients. After all, it’s why we do what we do every day.

Back to the May 2023 issue of Premier Pulse