"Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." - C. S. Lewis
Modern medicine has produced incredible technological breakthroughs such as pacemakers, MRI scanners, and cochlear implants but despite these remarkable achievements, I believe the most important aspect of the medical profession remains integrity. No one cares about much you know until they know how much you care and patients need to know that their doctor is committed to doing the right, "event when no one is watching." The professional duty of the physician is to always act in the best interest of the patient and when offering advice regarding treatment options the physician should take the time necessary to have a complete discussion of the risks and benefits of the treatment as well as the alternatives.
Unfortunately, physicians frequently use technical jargon and rush through discussions regarding medical treatments and in my experience, patients often feel too embarrassed to admit that they don't understand and so they don't ask any questions. Patients may also feel pressured to make important treatment discussions without completely understanding what it is they are getting into. Often times when patients are facing a life threatening illness such as cancer they may be so desperate to do "something" that they don't take the time to ask important questions about the possible risks, benefits and alternatives.
Unlike science fiction movies where the patient is put through a scanner which makes funny noises and "fixes" everything, medical treatment in the real world is much more complicated and often involves potential of serious side effects. This is why integrity is so essential to the practice of medicine; because the patient must be able to trust that their doctor will be honest with them and will always take the time necessary to listen, understand and act with integrity. At Hospice of the Valleys, we place a high value on integrity in all we do. In fact, out of 1,900 hospices surveyed nationwide by HEALTHCAREfirst, Hospice of the Valleys has been named the only hospice in California to receive the top 2018 Hospice Honors "Elite" award. Hospice Honors is a prestigious program that recognizes hospices providing the highest level of quality as measured from the caregiver's point of view. Families trust us and recommend Hospice of the Valleys more than any other agency in our community. If you would like to know more about what the families have to say, then check out the Medicare Hospice Compare Website as https://www.medicare.gov/hospicecompare/ and see for yourself how we compare.
