I visit a lot of patients who have experienced surgeries that had a desirable outcome.  Even though when I see them they still pain from the incision area they express genuine gratitude for the surgeon and others who take care of them.  The picture above which was not taken at our hospital illustrates this dynamic.

Grateful patients I often think are unaware of the gift they give to the members of their treatment team.  Everyone likes to be appreciated.  That is true regardless of your occupation.  Healthcare becomes a more demanding environment to work in each year.  So in a more demanding environment when a patient shows genuine gratitude it gifts a sense of reaffirmation to those who feel called to their role in healthcare.

One way patients can shape the atmosphere in healthcare is to show gratitude when it is deserved.  It inspires the providers to continue to give excellent service and at times encourages them to go to a higher effort to produce comfort for their patients.  When I see a staff member come out of a room smiling, they take that smile into the next patient’s room.  Gratitude is powerful when shared and not nearly as difficult to share as the benefits it produces.