The physician William Osler once said, “the good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.” Had Osler lived in an era informed by positive psychology, he might have added, “the great physician also assists the patient in seeing possibilities of fulfillment beyond illness and disease.”
Most providers understandably rely on the medical model of healthcare given their time and resource constraints. They focus on the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of specific health problems. Their goal is one of remediation, fixing what’s wrong so someone can return to a previous state of health and functioning.
Plenty of opportunities exist, however, to address life enhancement. The osteopathic tradition with its emphasis on “whole person care” pays close attention to the mind-body-spirit connections that have direct implications not only for healing, but thriving. The question is not whether it’s important to highlight holistic well-being, but how much this holistic focus is brought into exam room consultations, especially in fast-paced, high-volume practices.
Brief positive psychology approaches are time-efficient and can add an extra dimension of health support to the treatment plan. They would be appropriate options if the determined level of mental health need is not acute, severe, or persistent. A patient’s annual wellness visit is an ideal place to weave in positive psychology support since this type of visit focuses on prevention. Shorter visits like follow-ups and inpatient consultations may offer opportunities as well.
During the visit, a provider could spend time exploring a patient’s personal strengths related to a recent health challenge they overcame. They could then link those strengths to current health goals or obstacles. Providers could also offer information about the positive effects of gratitude on health, or introduce the benefits of mindfulness practice in managing stress.
These discussions can build a sense of hope and spark positive feelings in patients about the overall medical visit. As a result, according to the broaden-and-build theory developed by Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, individuals are more likely to think creatively and flexibly about their challenges.
If we reconceptualize the medical visit as a meeting where physical, social, emotional, and spiritual “flourishing” can take center stage, positive psychology research gives practitioners a guide as to which types of interventions may be most relevant and effective.
Studies have documented connections between gratitude and improved sleep, the practice of mindfulness and reduced pain ratings, and positive emotional experiences and lower cortisol levels—the body’s stress hormone. Gratitude practice is further linked to better cardiovascular health, as indicated by less vascular inflammation, lower blood pressure, and higher health behavior adherence.
Being socially connected predicts lower mortality rates to a similar degree as not smoking. What appears to matter most is the quality and nature of those relationships, with marriage, close friendships, and volunteer work emerging as more significant predictors.
Burnout is on the rise among healthcare providers. A study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings reported a 62.8% burnout rate among physicians in 2021 compared with 38% in 2020.
Two common aspects of provider burnout are depersonalization, or compassion fatigue, and emotional exhaustion. Increasing the presence of kindness in the healthcare environments promises to restore connection and revitalize providers.
Researchers found that watching eight minutes of kindness media in a pediatric setting by staff and parents was associated with greater happiness, inspiration, calm, gratitude, and less irritation.
Similarly, workplace gratitude interventions among physicians and nurses, like journaling and receiving written recognition, were associated with lower levels of emotional exhaustion, less depression, and increased job satisfaction.
The kindness and gratitude exchange pathway does not need to be limited to colleagues.
Encouraging patients to express gratitude toward their providers can boost feelings of pride, well-being, and spiritual growth among the healthcare team.
Dr. Erik Langenau, pediatrician and MAPP student, joined Dr. Scott Glassman, director of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology Program to discuss the frontier of positive psychology integration in healthcare. Discussion highlights included:
Learn how PCOM's Master of Applied Positive Psychology program can help you develop positive leadership traits and become a thought leader in the workplace and the community. Visit our application requirements page to review our admissions requirements and begin the application process.
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