Life and Death in the Emergency Department
Measuring the immeasurable
By Gerard M O'Reilly, Alfredo Mori and Peter A Cameron
'The human aspect of medical care that statistics ignore '
There are not many articles that bring a lump to my throat but this is one that did just that. “Harry the Hobo” was a regular at Alfred Hospital in Victoria whom the authors described as one who reeked of stale beer and had stale food splattered down the front of his shirt. O’Reilly, Mori and Cameron write with such candour, humour and colour on a serious subject, that of the human(e) touch in a busy hospital emergency department. The excerpt below from their story encapsulates the main message they want to send out.
“The ED provides 24-hour access and, thankfully, can refuse admission to nobody. For many people it serves as a refuge, a source of basic comforts and basic human values. It becomes their family. We cannot and should not even attempt to measure the delivery of this service. Indeed, any measure would devalue its true worth to the beneficiaries themselves and to the staff who provide it. One could imagine a situation in which hospitals might adjust the “loneliness score” or manipulate the “compassion index” to maximise income. But the service that is being provided is one of human kindness and compassion — the basis of a civilised society. This human aspect of medical care should be acknowledged and celebrated, rather than measured.”
Click below to read the whole story. http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/179_11_011203/ore10621_fm.html
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