Nirali DesaiBPA 1 Summer Reading Assigment

Closing the Chart

“Closing the Chart” chronicled Dr. Steven Hsi’s lifelong struggle and experiences living with a heart disorder, Takayasu’s aoritis. He documented the role reversal from being a physician to a patient and the multitude of painful procedures that he endured along the way. Ultimately, we, as the readers, follow Dr. Hsi on his journey as a health young doctor to a common patient, and finally accept his fate.

A striking moment is when Dr. Hsi is about to undergo a second open-heart surgery. For anyone about to undergo a risky procedure, patients deserve reassurance, warmth, and empathy for themselves and for their family, however Dr. Hsi recalls otherwise. As a physician, this is incredibly eye opening for Dr. Hsi, because it forces him to realize his own shortcomings regarding human connection with patients. Medical providers should learn how to connect with patients on a holistic level, and the bigger picture indicates that our medical system does not recognize the importance of this. Fearing surgeries and doctors appointments should not be normal, however we see that Dr. Hsi does and I wonder: how often do other patients (who are not in the medical field) feel?

As an individual who has been on the patient side of serious illness, I can empathize and understand Dr. Hsi’s personal account. Oftentimes, as patients and family members, we are not given the chance to question a doctor/surgeon’s plan; rather, we must accept or face worse health-related consequences. And many times, the family member is not given proper respect regarding treatment plans and future follow-up and unfortunately, Dr. Hsi confirms this. Medical providers must recognize that family members/caregivers provide complete patient support and without them, patients would suffer. My caregiver patient experiences required that I be educated about consequences of prescribed medications, “routine” procedures, and surgeries. Unfortunately, as in Dr. Hsi’s case, the doctors did not recognize how emotionally damaging some of these treatments were.

Medical providers are not only physicians, PAs, nurses, etc., but also provide spiritual support—we bridge the gap between healing and hope. This book was inspiring and should be read by every healthcare profession student. Dr. Hsi’s story should be shared with all and incite change in the medical system. We are the future face of healthcare and must learn how to treat patients and families as a unit, instead of focusing on just the disease. By reading his book and embracing my own experiences, I know that I will be consciously aware of my patients and help them overcome any challenges they encounter.