Philadelphia Medicine Fall/Winter 2019 - 30

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As physicians, we strive to be empathetic with all of our patients
and their family members. Empathy, defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, is incredibly important
and allows us to establish a rapport with a patient. As a colorectal
surgeon this is incredibly important, because let's face it, no one
actually wants to see a colorectal surgeon when they are a patient.
That rapport allows my patients to trust me, and then we can go
through the treatments required as a team, whether it is a cancer
diagnosis, Crohn's Disease or even a simple hemorrhoid.
That team mindset extends beyond the doctor-patient relationship,
it also encompasses our departmental staff. Letters informing our
patients that Drexel Surgery is closing went out earlier this month.
Patients have been calling and trying to comfort our patient navigators and administrative support teams. In addition to chatting
with them, it is not uncommon for me to receive the following
message from my staff, "Mr. X called. He wants to talk to you
to wish you the best and thank you himself for all that you have
done for him. He said you are not just his doctor, but his friend.
OMG I'm going to cry."

to work with them, to problem solve together and strategize how
to continuously improve, to never be complacent.
How strange is it that I now feel guilty for recruiting them. Their
energy and drive have been replaced by despondence. They are all
staying to the very end, and will serve as a skeleton crew to ensure
that every aspect of the department's closure is handled perfectly,
whether it is finalizing the disposition of all medical records and
personnel files, decommissioning equipment or closing out business
accounts. They have passed on job offers because it would have
been wrong to leave these tasks to someone else. It is who they
are. There is a profound sense of loss among each one of us, and
a concern that this kind of team chemistry may not be replicable
in whatever new positions we find.

My Tuesday office hours routine that started in 2003 has now
come to an end. For the last 16 years I saw patients in our office
every Tuesday from 9 am to 5 pm. I have seen over 3,000 patients
over just the past few years and thousands more over the prior
decade. I have seen colleagues and staff, hospital leaders, university
presidents, deans and fellow chairs come and go. Yet the constant
Our department's administrative leadership team is an incred- throughout was my Tuesday clinic, a day I loved to hate. Hated it
ible group of highly intelligent, industrious and motivated people. because of all the paperwork and electronic health record charting
They embody our departmental values of integrity, transparency the day and subsequent night required. Loved it because I met so
and ownership and live by our guiding principle of "Excellence in many new fantastic people. Loved it because I had the opportunity
Serving our Patients and our People." Their ability to engage with to improve a patient's quality of life or cure them of disease. Loved
everyone and understand what is occurring on the front lines, and it because I was able to bond with the surgical residents, medical
then develop sustainable solutions, has been incredible to watch. students and staff. Now it's all gone forever, and on that last Tuesday,
Their drive and energy to make all of us better was contagious, and I cried for the last time at Drexel. *
allowed the department to fire on all cylinders. It has been a privilege
30 Philadelphia Medicine : Fall/Winter 2019

Philadelphia Medicine Fall/Winter 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Philadelphia Medicine Fall/Winter 2019