HealtheVoices 2019: How one weekend changed the way I'll listen...
Jijo James
Chief Medical Officer, MedTech & External Innovation at Johnson & Johnson; Board of Directors, Medical Device Innovation Consortium (MDIC)
Every person has a health-related story, whether it’s affected their lives or the life of someone they love. For some, the story is about triumph and hope, beating the odds. Survival. For others, it’s getting progressively better, re-adjusting to life with a chronic disease or celebrating small victories after surgery. As a Chief Medical Officer and a physician, I know the value and power of patients connecting, supporting one another and sharing common experiences. These connections inspire hope and action, transmit vital information, and they can even translate to better outcomes.
Last week, I had the privilege of gathering with more than 140 online health advocates at the HealtheVoices conference in Dallas. We shared healthcare experiences, life experiences and we put our little hearts together to do big things on behalf of more than 50 patient communities. In its fifth year, Janssen Pharmaceuticals was joined by my team, Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies. It was my first time at the conference and, in three short days, I was utterly blown away by the courage, power and wisdom of this crowd.
They shared the ups and the inevitable downs of living with a chronic disease. I stood in awe as they selflessly pledged to use their experiences to create a smoother path for others. At the conference, advocates bonded and lifted one another up – a true example of a team on a mission to make a difference. They shared strategies, winning formulas and learned new skills to improve and expand their work with patient and caregiver communities through online tools, resources and social media platforms. This work is vital in the healthcare landscape of today.
As part of a company committed to good health and vibrant lives, I know every story contributes to the collective knowledge needed to find innovative approaches that help people get back to their lives sooner. We simply must listen to patients and seek to understand their world view. We can’t tackle society’s healthcare problems without doing so.
And as for me? I was touched, moved and inspired by every single person I met over the weekend. Hearing your stories reminded me why we are in this line of work. Hearing your experiences drives us to do better. So please, keep talking and believe me, we are listening.
#healthevoices19 #mycompany
Associate Medical Director, SERM, GSK Vaccines SRL
5yJijo, you made me think about the difference between hearing and listening. Listening is a powerful word as it implies an intent to act. Thus, listening is a core skill in medicine and in public health. Listening makes a difference and makes us better doctors and healthcare professionals. Thank you for sharing.
Director Clinical Operations & Innovation | Clinical Trial Design and Strategy | Healthcare Data Transformation | End-to-End Clinical Program Leadership | Scalable Data Science Solutions
5yVery True Jijo. Some of these powerful personal stories are the reason we make it to work everyday and are reignited with our commitment towards a greater good #mycompany
Solving starts from listening!! Thank you Jijo James for sharing your experience in listening patient stories #healthvoices19 conference.