Designing for Humanity in Medicine
Recently, I came across a powerful reflection about a family member’s hospitalization. It wasn’t about the medicine, but about the moments.
A nurse, noticing a small need.
A staff member giving clear directions in a confusing space.
A team that showed up, not just clinically, but personally.
It reminded me: humanity in care doesn’t happen by chance. It happens by design.
If we want compassion to be part of the standard, and not just a lucky variable, then we must embed it in our systems. That includes our polices and training environments.
Here are a few starting points for designing systems that protect and promote humanity in medicine:
Onboarding that includes the “unwritten curriculum”
Orientation shouldn’t just cover compliance. It should prepare staff and trainees for the emotional realities of patient care: grief, fear, fatigue, and empathy. Invite experienced clinicians to share how they stay present and built trust at the bedside.
Policies that account for emotional labor
Does your time-off policy include space for grief or caregiving? Do you allow protected time to debrief after critical events? Humanity needs recovery time too.
Feedback structures that reward empathy, not just efficiency
We say we value compassion, but do we evaluate for it? Consider adding questions to patient or peer reviews that reflect how people were made to feel, not just how fast care was delivered.
Leadership that models connection
When leaders ask how people really are, show up on the floors, and acknowledge the emotional toll of caregiving, they create safer spaces for others to do the same.
Clinical learning that includes humanity as a skill
Humanity can be taught through reflection rounds, simulation, patient storytelling or narrative medicine. Let’s name it as a legitimate part of medical training, not just a side effect of being a “good person”.
Human-centered care doesn’t dilute quality. It strengthens it.
So the real question isn’t whether we have humanity in our systems. It’s whether our systems are designed to support it, protect it, and grow it. Especially when the pressure is on.
Let’s design for that.
📥 Want to start this conversation with your team? Check out my last post on burnout and system culture: https://substack.com/@mededled/note/p-163214373?r=uaatz&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action