Gratitude Is Among the Most Powerful Healers of All
A health system in the Midwest has implemented a food-as-medicine preventive model to address chronic health conditions by providing free, healthy food and dietitian consultation to community members.
A hospital in the Northeast runs a toll-free telephone support system staffed by nurses where parents can call, ask questions and get helpful information on everything from breastfeeding to managing postpartum issues.
And in New Mexico, a grateful wife was moved to thank every member of the care team who provides ongoing compassionate care during her husband’s battle with the effects of multiple sclerosis, writing in a heartfelt letter to the hospital, “When I think about the wonderful care my husband receives at your facility, it always brings me tears of happiness.”
These types of stories and many others happen every day at every hospital and health system across the country. AHA’s Telling the Hospital Story webpage highlights the countless ways care providers are changing peoples’ lives for the better each and every day.
And for their work, their skill, their dedication, their compassion and their caring, America is profoundly grateful.
We know that this is a challenging period for our health care field and the world at large. Serious problems are found everywhere you look, and the temptation to see them as insolvable can be strong.
But that is not the story of America. Since the infancy of our nation, in good times and bad, we have paused each fall to recognize the power of thankfulness, of counting our blessings even in the face of formidable challenges.
And the truth is we have much to be thankful for.
We are thankful for our hospital and health system caregivers who remain dedicated to providing excellent care to their patients and community.
We are thankful for our scientists and researchers who continue to make advancements to help us improve care and health.
We are thankful for our hospital and health system leaders who are navigating these difficult times with one thing in mind — ensuring access to quality care and advancing the health of all patients and communities.
We are thankful for our patients who are the center of all we do. They inspire and motivate us to deliver the best care every day to help them live healthy and prosperous lives.
Numerous studies have shown that practicing gratitude is linked to lower levels of stress, anxiety and depression, as well as helping to boost overall health.
Acknowledging the goodness in our lives and in other people benefits patients, providers and our health care system as a whole. As we navigate the complexities of health care, cultivating gratitude is a wonderful source of resilience, connection and well-being.
As many of us gather around the table next week to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with our families and friends, let’s take an extra minute to give thanks for the good things in our lives and for the care teams at every hospital and health system across America who are working that day to care for the sick and injured. Their courage, compassion and commitment to caring is inspiring and gives us great hope for the future.
From all of us at the American Hospital Association, best wishes for a happy, healthy and safe Thanksgiving.