Ruthann Russo

I am collecting stories about positive experiences in healthcare. I will use the stories in my training sessions on creating your ideal health status using the HealthMap™ process and in my next book for health care consumers. If you are interested in sharing a positive health story with me and our readers, please submit a story below. If you are interested in learning more about our HealthMap™ training process, please visit www.HealthMapForms.com.

Here are some general positive statements patients have made about their experiences in healthcare:

My doctor takes the time to describe what in wrong with me in plain English so I can understand.
My doctor’s office is very clean
The hospital lobby is welcoming and clean
The staff are friendly
My doctor is easy to talk to and empathetic
The office and the exam room is comfortable
Clean and fresh environment
I was seen fast and treated quickly
The hospital was very clean and the service was excellent

Below are some examples of positive experiences in healthcare that our readers have submitted.

Story #1
During my stay in the hospital after my scoliosis surgery, I was misdiagnosed with a rare illness by a relatively new physician. The doctor was not familiar with my case and my primary doctor was on vacation. My doctor called me on July 4th from his family’s picnic to speak with my mother and calm her down. I was only 13 years old then, but it was a positive experience that I have remembered my whole life. The fact that my doctor took the time to call us on his vacation made me feel better about healthcare in general.

Story #2
My husband was admitted to the emergency room with chest pain and abnormal heart beats. While the emergency room physician was examining my husband, he noticed a ventricular tachycardia, which is a serious concern. In the middle of the exam, the nurse who was in the room went over to the television and changed the station to the baseball game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Socks. She had seen my husband come into the ER wearing a NY Yankees baseball hat and assumed he was a fan. She was one herself and happened to know that the Yankees were winning. As soon as she turned the TV towards my husband and he saw the score, we all watched while the heart monitor evened out, which meant there were no dangerous beats. She told us later that she suspected the stress of the situation was causing the heartbeat, and that there was not anything physiologically wrong with my husband. After observing my husband for another hour, the ER doctor agreed and released him with the diagnosis of musculoskeletal chest pain, nothing serious. The perception and intervention of this nurse made a big difference in for us and made me realize that you need a good treatment team, not just a good doctor.

Story #3
I went to the doctor and had to fill out paperwork and as soon as I handed he paperwork to the receptionist, I was taken in to see the doctor without any waiting time. It was amazing…

Story #4
Two years ago, I found a doctor that I really love. He truly respects me as a patient and takes time to answer questions. He is not dismissive of those who do not understand, and he takes the time to explain. More importantly, he treats you as a partner in your healthcare allowing you choices but also encouraging you to take responsibility for your health and well being. He is aware of the patient as a whole, and includes mental health as being as important as physical health. Best of all, he never looks down on or treats patients badly if they are overweight or smoke. He does not encourage it, but he does not berate you as most doctors do. I leave his office feeling that he really cares about me and his other patients.