Touch is a powerful thing. It can hurt, however, I want to talk about the healing power of touch. We are physical and emotional beings. Touch keeps us connected and is one facet of what makes us human. Driving home tonight from a meeting where we talked about patient satisfaction, I can’t think of a vocation where touch is more relevant than in the healing art that is healthcare. Touch is one of those simple things than can change lives.
If it really is that simple, why do we make it so hard? If I come to you as a patient, I expect to be touched in some way. Most people expect the physician to listen to their heart and lungs even if they come in for a problem in a completely different area of the body. Why don’t we treat each of our patients as if they were a family member we care deeply for? A hand on the shoulder for reassurance or a handshake for a successful post-op course after surgery means a lot.
Would Bon Jovi’s “Lay your hands on me” or Rick Springfield’s “The Human Touch” lead us astray? I think not.
Farmgirl Sensibilities 