The ability to think critically is important in all walks of life – as every organization requires its leaders to come up with solutions relevant to each industry. In the field of healthcare, the stakes can be exceedingly high, and there are situations where the wrong decision can lead to the loss of somebody’s life. Doctors must balance matters of practice and ensure that their decisions give their patients the best possible chance at a healthy life. Read on to find five ways doctors can apply critical thinking at the medical level.
- Focus On The Problem – Ask yourself the difficult questions and try to focus on the problem at hand. Go through the possibilities: Is there a direct cause to the problem and if so, what is it? What are the worst-case scenarios? Are there any indications of a more serious condition? What is the patient’s lifestyle like? Each answer is a clue to finding out what could be causing problems – and a step closer to solving them.
- Research – The study of medicine has been around for a very long time – which means that there is much data in existence that came from the notes, findings, and experiences of doctors and patients over hundreds, or even thousands, of years. Do your research and find out if you can spot any parallels between your case and any previously recorded case. If there are official records of treatments that have worked, find out why they were successful and compare. You do not need to keep yourself in the dark when the information you are looking for already exists.
- Map Your Procedures – Consider all possible solutions once you feel you have a good understanding of the problem. Farm your team for ideas and see if you can whittle everyone’s suggestions into one cohesive and agreed upon direction. Work together to put the proper procedure in place and make sure that everyone is on board before kicking off the process.
- Listen To Others – You’ll never know if someone on your team has a brilliant idea if you don’t make it a habit to listen to others. More heads are always better than one, and any doctor who thinks they can operate as an island is a fool. Work on a system of consensus with team members and staff – harvest the minds of the relevant medical professionals around you. The best type of communication is where information flows freely in both directions as every bit of information may hold the key to a solution.
- Imagine Failures Before They Happen – When pondering on solutions to a medical problem, it helps to envision the ways in which things can go all wrong. By using your imagination to construct “perfect storm” scenarios that result in the worst possible outcomes, you might be able to identify how you can avoid failing in such a spectacular fashion. It will also keep you prepared for what may come, and help you plan ahead on what to do in the case things don’t go your way – and if there is any certainty in the medical profession, it is the fact that things will not always go your way.
Just like this article, TukkoMed is all about finding solutions for doctors. Thank you for reading – and if you are a doctor with questions about our services, give us a call! We would love to give you a rundown of just how we can be of help to you.