UT Health San Antonio: Social Factors Account for 80% of Health Impact
UT Health San Antonio Welcomes Young Doctors, Emphasizes Importance of Compassion and Social Determinants of Health
chandni
Over 200 young doctors embarking on their residencies at UT Health San Antonio received a valuable lesson on Tuesday, one that extends beyond the confines of medical textbooks.
Highlighting the significance of compassion, Averi White, MD, Chief Quality and Safety Resident for the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, emphasized the power physicians possess in showcasing empathy towards their patients.
The occasion was an annual event centered around social determinants of health, a program believed to be one of only two of its kind in the country.
Woodson "Scott" Jones, MD, Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education for the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, stressed the importance of young doctors comprehending that nonmedical factors can impact 80% of a patient's overall well-being. These factors encompass education, language, transportation, food insecurity, limited income, and even zip codes.
While doctors face the challenge of attending to numerous patients within limited timeframes, ensuring that all their medical needs are met, Jones emphasized the need to address the remaining 80% for the benefit of patients.
Jones encouraged doctors to pose pertinent questions such as: "Where are you residing when you need to undertake additional training? Is your neighborhood secure? Are there accessible options for healthy food in your vicinity, including grocery stores with fresh produce? Do you have a support system in place?"
Drawing from personal experiences, White recounted an impactful childhood encounter wherein a doctor abruptly informed her mother about her brother's Down syndrome diagnosis. This incident inspired her commitment to choose her words carefully, recognizing their lasting impact on patients' memories.
White also shared a quote from Hippocrates, the renowned Greek physician often regarded as the father of modern medicine, who proclaimed, "Where the art of medicine is loved, there is love for humanity."
