Susan Nathan, MD is a Geriatrician and Hospice and Palliative Medicine physician at VA Boston Healthcare System. She is an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and adjunct Instructor in Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Nathan is the site director for the My Life, My Story Project at VA Boston.
Thor Ringler is a poet and a therapist. He is the national program manager for My Life, My Story and works as a writer-editor at the VA hospital in Madison, WI. Ringler has an MFA in Poetry and an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy.
In this podcast, Susan Nathan and Thor Ringler talk with Helen Osborne about:
- My Life, My Story. What this initiative is, why it got started, and who is involved.
- How-to tips to make this happen. Including who does the interview and write-up, how long it takes, and examples of questions to ask.
- Real-life stories about the impact of this program on providers and veterans.
More ways to learn:
- VA Boston Healthcare System Education Academy, “My Life My Story.” Includes a video introduction along with implementation guides for faculty and trainees. https://www.vabostoneducation.org/my-life-my-story
- “My Life, My Story: VA’s healthcare improvements through deliberate storytelling,” a 7-minute video showing this program in action, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpzgVlExS20
- Department of Veterans Affairs, “My Life, My Story: Advancing the Veteran Experience,” an article about this initiative, at https://www.va.gov/HEALTHCAREEXCELLENCE/news-room/newsletter/spotlight-on-excellence/2018/special/my-life-my-story.asp
- For questions or to request a packet of program materials, contact the Madison team of My Life, My Storyas vhamadmystory@va.gov
- Health Literacy Out Loud podcast interview with Chad Brough, “Creating Videos of Patient’s Stories to Inspire and Remind Caregivers About Why Their Work Matters (HLOL #143)” at /2015/11/17/creating-videos-of-patients-stories-to-inspire-and-remind-caregivers-about-why-their-work-matters-hlol-143/
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Chapters especially relevant to this podcast include “Stories” and “You: Empathy and Humanity.”
Read a transcript of this podcast.
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