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One of the great privileges of being a physician is the opportunity to care for people one patient at a time. But recently, I was reminded that our responsibility—and our opportunity—can extend well beyond the walls of our clinics and hospitals.
I had the honor of participating in a community Lunch and Learn in partnership with Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities (PAFC) Larimer. What struck me most was how interested people were in understanding medical issues that directly affect their everyday lives: their ability to work, exercise, remain independent, and simply function without pain or limitation.
As physicians, we spend years—often decades—acquiring knowledge. We read journals, attend conferences, discuss difficult cases with colleagues, and continually refine our understanding of medicine. Much of that knowledge, however, remains within the medical community. I believe we should challenge ourselves to change that.
Our communities have an enormous appetite for credible, understandable health information. At a time when people are surrounded by medical information from social media, advertising, and countless online sources, physicians have an opportunity to be trusted educators—not simply when someone becomes a patient, but before they ever enter our offices. Read the Full Article
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