Am I seeing things through the eyes of patients? An exercise in bolstering patient attentiveness and empathy.

Background: Modern marketing thought heavily emphasizes the need for healthcare providers to possess a customer orientation, placing patients at the focal point of attention within health and medical establishments. This has motivated significant investments in tools and techniques that foster outstanding service, attention, and support. Such investments in isolation, however, offer no guarantees that a true customer orientation will emerge. Proper implementation also is required-and that falls on the shoulders of health and medical personnel.

Discussion: The most innovative and expensive of customer-oriented tools and techniques mean very little unless they are placed in the hands of capable individuals possessing the ability and desire to serve patients well. But the rigors of industry life complicate matters, resulting occasionally in lost focus, compromising the patient experience. One of the simplest and most effective methods for encouraging patient attentiveness rests with a reflective exercise that encourages staff members to see themselves and their actions from the perspective of patients. Asking the operative question, "Am I seeing things through the eyes of patients?" serves as an effective reminder of priorities, building empathy and motivating personnel to continually deliver their very best.

Conclusions: Viewing one's actions from the perspective of patients can be very revealing, opening eyes wide and permitting opportunities for any necessary improvements, making for a simple but powerful learning experience. The "Am I seeing things through the eyes of patients?" reflective exercise helps well-intentioned staff members avoid tendencies which can lull them into states of complacency, ensuring that they remain focused on those in their care.