Narrative Medicine

Project Lead: Heather Bergdahl and Nadia Solomon

This project will explore the role of narrative medicine in enhancing patient care. Despite medicine's technological progress in diagnosing and treating illnesses, physicians sometimes lack the capacity to listen and really understand the plights of their individual patients. The premise behind narrative medicine is that a scientifically competent medical professional alone cannot help a patient (or their families) grapple with their loss of health or find meaning in their suffering. Each physician needs to take the time to listen to the narratives of each of their patients, grasp and honor their meanings, and be moved to act on the patient's behalf. Narrative medicine offers physicians the opportunity to partner with patients to provide more personal, respectful, empathic, and nourishing medical care. For this project we’d like you to provide your insights, examples, recommendations and success stories of how you have improved patient care via narrative medicine.

Contact Heather and Nadia at sgu.gghs@gmail.com if you would like more information