Our digital lives might be making us more distracted, distant and drained, according to to research presented by the American Psychological Association.
For example, even minor phone use during a meal with friends is enough to make diners feel distracted, and it reduces their enjoyment of the experience.
Even people with their phones easily accessible reported that they enjoyed their meal less.
Where does that leave us in our dealings with patients who entrust us with their care?
Engagement – where do you stand on that?

How often are we confronted with multiple distractions in our own professional environment?
Keep in mind also the other recent report showing that in the USA, average eye-to-eye contact in the GP office is eleven seconds.

What an opportunity!!

Ensure that your staff don’t interrupt you with something that isn’t life-threatening……….our patients don’t like having to compete with others for your attention.

More than ever, experts are suggesting that we engage more.
That’s at every level – at a retail transaction, during any sort of chat, and especially during an earnest health discussion, no matter what the topic.
Remember that people are distracted – life isn’t fun anymore for most of them.
Stress means that can’t actually remember much either, so for their sake and for yours, write things down.

Remember when the written word was considered normal?
Try it again, you will be surprised at the reaction.
It’s called care – not service because that’s demeaning – that magic four-letter word…. CARE.