Episode 32 – Humanity on the Frontlines of COVID-19 – Read Pierce, MD

Read Pierce, MD, is a hospitalist at University of Colorado Medicine in Denver. In that role, he and his colleagues have been working directly to help patients with COVID-19 and their families. Dr. Pierce is also a founding member of the National Taskforce for Humanity in Healthcare, where he works to advance systems, structures, and measurement that support thriving and well-being in healthcare.

In this episode, Dr. Pierce and I talk about the imperative clinicians feel to bring humanity to care during COVID-19, despite challenges to connection created by PPE, caseload, and restrictions on time spent with patients designed to limit infection risk. We also look at the path forward toward recovery and thriving, which includes individual support, team- and leadership-based efforts to maximize positive emotions, and deeper changes in healthcare systems.

Links related to podcast:

• National Taskforce for Humanity in Healthcare Position Paper: The Business Case for Humanity in Healthcare
• New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst article Cognitive Load and Its Implications for Health Care
• Dr. Bryan Sexton’s research and interventions related to positive emotions