In this talk, Dr. Dickey explores the value of kindness, the reasons it’s sometimes hard to be kind, and how we can do better. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format, but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx Lorraine A. Dickey, MD MBA FAAP, is an innovator and activist for a better experience of care within the healthcare system, both for patients and staff. She is a healthcare entrepreneur, and a board-certified Neonatologist, as well as a board-certified Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Medicine physician. Dr. Dickey is certified in Pediatric Bio-ethics and earned an MBA in Health Care Management. In 2001 Dr. Dickey was involved in a catastrophic ski accident, including a serious head injury, that forever changed the course of her life. She was told she would never be able to practice as a physician again. After nearly three years of physical recovery and rehabilitation, she returned to medicine as a neonatologist in 2004. She went on to become the Medical Director and Chief of Neonatology at a 45-bed Level IIIC NICU. It was during this time that Dr. Dickey personalized the philosophy of Patient- and Family-Centered Care and integrated its cornerstones in the policy and program development within the Division of Neonatology. This included developing and integrating a novel narrative program to help her staff address their challenges, and recognize their joys, in taking care of patients and their families...and the necessity of taking care of each other. In 2013, she made a mid-career transition and entered a Fellowship in Hospice & Palliative Medicine. Almost immediately she was diagnosed with cancer. After taking a year off for surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments, she returned and finished the fellowship in 2015. These very personal experiences led Dr. Dickey to become passionate about improving the experience of feeling "cared for" during the healthcare encounter. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Lorraine speaks about her own experience within the healthcare system and shares a volunteers story about sharing and importance of kindness.

Lorraine speaks about barriers to kindness and the value of kindness.

Our mission is to improve the experience of healthcare for those who choose to give care – healthcare professionals and staff members like you and me --- and those who need to receive care – patients and their families. In our 15 years of narrative research, we have identified 3 critical gaps that make it harder to have a positive experience as a patient or as a staff member. The gap in staff expectations of giving care The gap in patient expectations of receiving care And the gap in communication between what healthcare providers say and what patients actually hear

At the Narrative Initiative, we work with healthcare professionals to bridge the gap in communicating effectivity with patients and their families.

At The Narrative Initiative, we work to bridge the gap in staff expectations to improve the experience of healthcare for patients, families and staff.

The Narrative Initiative we use the stories of healthcare professionals to improve the experience of giving care by staff and improve the experience of receiving care by patients.

At the Narrative Initiative, we work to bridge the gap in patient expectations to improve the experience of healthcare for patients, families and staff.

At the Narrative Initiative, we use the stories of healthcare professionals to narrow the gaps in staff expectations of giving care, patient expectations of receiving care, and the communication gap between what healthcare providers say and what patients actually hear. It is important to appreciate all these gaps deepen when a patient perceives a lack of kindness