| Walk With the Doc Thoughts for daily Living Our physical and mental well being is inseparable. Each has the potential to enhance or detract from the quality of our life and the lives of those around us. Our lifestyle habits are infectious. A smile is often returned with a smile. Unfortunately, a negative attitude can be similarly infectious. Being surrounded by a supportive environment helps us. For some, a gym is the way to become immersed in positive attitudes about exercise. Similarly, an organization like TOPS or Weight Watchers can be the key to a supportive nutritional adjustment. For our general mental well being there are many time tested remedies. A few of my favorites include: • Laugh every day. It releases endorphins into the body with many of the positive effects an intense workout at the gym gives you. • Remember that life at its best is about helping others. Reflect on the impact you are having. Ask, “Who did I serve and make better today?” • Practice patience by first looking for the good. Maybe the person that cut you off was in an emergency situation with a sick child. Why get upset if you can’t be sure. Patience is more than a virtue – it’s good mental health. • low down. Life at its best is about the journey, not the destination. If the journey is good, the destination will take care of itself. • Find time to reflect on the good things in life. A prayer of thanks is good medicine. Are these new ideas? No, they are all immortalized in the greatest book ever written and retold in countless self-help books. Perhaps you’re interested in a few more of these mental tune up tips. I recommend a short article that will likely fit into your busy life more easily than a full lengthy self-help book. The article by Marcel Schwantes is titled “31 Ways to Improve Your Life in Just a Month.” It’s good medicine. It’s thoughts for daily living. It’s a reminder that simple acts of joyful living can transform us and those around us. Oh, did I mention the mental health benefits of a morning walk? Why not join me. Nancy Neighbors, MD Why The Long Satisfaction Surveys? Perhaps you wondered why I emailed a long survey questionnaire to you after a recent appointment. As it happens there are three reasons. First, I want to make sure your concerns are heard. Of course you can also call my office, send an email or send webmail from the DocNeighbors.com website. Unless you choose to include your name or identifying information all comments are returned to me anonymously unless sent from your private email account. By the way, while we typically check email several times a day, if a quicker answer is needed it’s best to make a phone call. The second reason for sending you the questionnaire is to make my insurance company happy. In return for bothering you with a long questionnaire, I get lower insurance rates. The idea seems reasonable enough - doctors that listen to patient concerns probably cause them fewer problems. The third reason for the questionnaire is to be in compliance with upcoming industry and Government payment formulas which are expected to be partially based on your satisfaction scores. The questionnaire is a product of an evolving medical community and Government partnership to create a standardized questionnaire. If you find the questionnaire long and bothersome then I’m on your side. Personally, almost the only information I find helpful is the personal comments you type at the end of the form. Should you choose to skip to the end and send a short personal note about your appointment, that’s fine with me. I always appreciate your comments regardless of how you send them. Actually, both my staff and I look forward to comments that tell us we have done a good job as well as comments that can help us serve you better. Keep in mind, all information you provided on the survey questionnaire is returned to me anonymously. I won’t know it’s from you unless you choose to tell me in your typed comments. |