Schwartz Center Rounds 11/14/2012: The loss of a mother

Duke Medicine physicians, nurses and other providers are invited to attend the second meeting of the new ongoing series of presentations and discussions, called the Schwartz Center Rounds, about the human side of patient care on Wed., Nov. 14 at 7:30 a.m. in Duke South Medical School Amphitheater. Breakfast will be provided beginning at 7:15 a.m. (first come, first served). The discussion will explore the topic No words for the sadness: the loss of a mother.

About the Schwartz Center Rounds

Schwartz Center Rounds is a monthly interdisciplinary conference that offers clinicians a regularly scheduled time during their fast-paced work lives to openly and honestly discuss social and emotional issues that arise in caring for patients. An initiative of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, the rounds take place at 250 sites in the U.S. and U.K. including many of Duke's peer institutions (Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham & Women's, Vanderbilt, Mount Sinai, Emory, Cleveland Clinic and UNC-Chapel Hill). Schwartz Center Rounds at Duke was proposed by Lynn Bowlby, MD, assoiate professor of medicine (General Internal Medicine) and medical director of the Duke Outpatient Clinic, and Lynn O'Neill, MD, assistant professor of medicine (General Internal Medicine). "We are both involved in teaching communication skills to physicians and nurses and are excited about the opportunity these Rounds will provide for rich discussion and, we hope, enhanced clinician self-awareness and impoved communication with patients and families," says Dr. Bowlby. In contrast to traditional medical rounds, the focus of the Schwartz Rounds discussions is on the human dimension of medicine. Clinicians have an opportunity to share their experiences, thoughts and feelings on thought-provoking topics drawn from actual patient cases. The premise is that clinicians are better able to make personal connections with patients and colleagues when they have greater insight into their own responses and feelings. Read an evaluation of the initiative: The Schwartz Center Rounds: Evaluation of an Interdisciplinary Approach to Enhancing Patient-Centered Communication, Teamwork, and Provider Support. [box]Next meeting: Tues., Oct. 16, 2012 at 12pm in Duke University Hospital room 2002 – Can we help more? Identifying the gaps in patients’ care.[/box]