gms | German Medical Science

Clinical issue/s: Hand therapy is always more than solving a handproblem but do we remind ourselves when interacting in the fast lane? Do we indeed perform excellent when having ready-to-use protocols, dealing with the pressure from health insurance companies to achieve optimal efficiency in our work with focus on quick treatment results? Kindness should be at the base of our therapy sessions to really see the patient with his or her individual needs and bring back humanity in our treatment.

Clinical reasoning: Kindness is recognized as a value in many cultures and religions. It is defined as helpfulness towards someone in need, without expecting anything in return. Kindness will help you to get to understand the patients motives and enforce the therapeutic relationship in which your know-how can flourish.

Innovative, analytical or new approach: Therapy time is well spend on a conversation and treatment with attention, empathy and a smile, rather than only tick the boxes of a protocol. Your interaction with the patient will deepen and result in more perspectives and therefore more treatment options. Evidence based practice and protocols will still be used but more tailored to the individual. Besides maintaining and developing knowledge the handtherapist should explore and invest in his or her skills to be kind.

Contribution to advancing HT practice: Kindness doesn't cost you any additional time. It mostly is a change of attitude and awareness of the power of kindness within the therapeutic relationship and should also be incorporated in the company's policy. Only in combination with up-to-date knowledge, kindness can turn good handtherapy into excellent and your patient satisfaction will increase.