At Balance, we are often faced with double binds and tricky situations where tough decisions need to be made. Realistically this is the case for healthcare in general.
For example, when do we need to send someone for an MRI or not?
Believe it or not, this is a much harder decision than what appears on the surface. Technically, we should only be getting scans if there is potentially serious pathology we need to rule in/out.
OR
We think that the scan will show us crucial information that will change the course of treatment.
Combine this, with more and more research showing that MRI scan results often don't correlate with the patient's complaint and that there are also many other things that are irrelevant showing up on scans which often scare patients into believing there is more wrong with them than they originally thought.
It's for these situations (and many many others) that we need a set of guiding principles to help us make these decisions.. are our values.
At Balance our values are to:
Do the right thing. This can be a point of view, but often in our heart, we can sense what the right thing to do is… even if it means we need to say goodbye and refer you elsewhere. In the case of sending you for a scan, is it the right thing to do by you to get this scan after all factors have been taken into consideration
Make a difference. In essence, this means, "what is a good thing to do"... which adds a layer to our first value! Often it’s doing something that gives us and you a good feeling inside, that expresses we are good people and always want to be helpful as a priority.
Act with purpose. Having the right intent and making your intention clear. In the scan example I’ve been using this would mean communicating to you, why we are going for a scan and what we are looking for from it. Simply being prepared for your session and having a plan on what we're going to do on a given day.
With these as guiding principles, making decisions gets easier!
Sometimes, the decisions are less textbook and more ones that make sense between you and your practitioner. Maybe you don't want to spend the money and time on an MRI even though it's theoretically, the correct decision - it simply wouldn't be the right thing to do or make a difference and pushing you towards it would not be acting with the right intent.
We hope you resonate with our values.. we want to lead with our hearts and care for you as a priority. They certainly help us do a better job as clinicians, but also as people.