The arts have been a part of western and eastern medicine since history started being recorded. We see this looking back at prominent Greek philosophers. Hippocrates once said, “Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity.” Hippocrates supported the diagnosing and treating of the “whole” person, an approach that implies the interrelationship of soul and body. This is a foundational concept to modern medicine and gets to the true route of health care and healing. My father, a CMO/OBGYN practicing at St. Vincent's in Indianapolis, has always told me, “As providers, we can’t cure everyone but we can help everyone heal.”

Healing with Integrative Medicine

Today, over half of all medical schools in the U.S. require some form of training in the humanities to become a doctor. Integrative medicine is becoming more and more mainstream across America. “Integrative medicine is the treatment of patients through spiritual, emotional, mental, and environmental in addition to physical means.” Art, music, dance, yoga, and support groups are just some of the ways that the art world is merging into the medical world.

There is an emotional and morale component to all of this. How can the arts and humanities change the quality of life of patients and even doctors? During my junior year of college, I created a documentary called “Art as Medicine” where I featured three doctors and presented them with the question: how do healers heal? I was able to show the power that art gives healers so they can better heal others. The main point of this documentary is that you aren’t able to take care of others to the best of your ability if you can’t take care of yourself.

Art and Self-Care

This is true for any type of job. You can’t do a job well if you, yourself, are unwell. Having a healthy work-life balance is needed for everyone to operate at their best. Everyone needs an avocation in addition to their vocation. Art is subjective and wide. Art for you could be exercise, cooking, or gardening. The most important aspect is that you have something else to disconnect you from the everyday stress of work.

Culture of Empathy and Humanism

As a new employee of pMD, I am happy to confirm that pMD understands the importance of taking care of oneself. Giving employees a flexible schedule, having bonding activities, and showing a real interest and respect in each other's hobbies and goals outside of work creates a culture where people want to give 100%.

At pMD, we believe our team is an essential component of the healing process. Whether that's making sure a provider has all the tools necessary to work seamlessly or helping a patient get ready for a telehealth appointment, our team is dedicated to helping people. My boss always speaks about trying to achieve the impossible, how a tiny little company could drastically change the whole health care industry. The main goal of pMD is to help providers and patients make health care easier and intuitive. At pMD, we not only focus on the technical side, (which we happen to be quite good at) but we also truly care about the empathetic and humanistic aspects of each of our providers and patients. As a newcomer to this company and industry, I believe that this level of care starts internally and is one of our biggest differentiators from other software vendors.

In short, take time for yourself. It will ultimately make you happier and more productive in all areas of your life.