When Medicine Becomes Mindless: The Cost of Formulaic Care in Ocular Oncology

This episode was inspired by my new-found knowledge of the work of legendary Harvard health psychologist Ellen J. Langer, PhD. Dr. Langer defines "mindfulness" as the simple act of noticing new things. Unfortunately, most of us may live our lives "mindlessly", which is the opposite - living life without being open to noticing the subtle variations in life, because we believe we know what is going on. However, if we are open to not knowing everything, we may start paying attention to the unknown and subtle variations and learn things that we didn't even realize or appreciate before.  In Medicine, we are dealing with a constantly changing entity, our human life. Although we know some things, we do not understand everything. In clinical situations, we must actively pay attention to new things and not rigidly follow criteria or protocols. For example, if we make the diagnosis of ocular melanoma from a list of criteria, we will both over-treat those with benign conditions and under-treat those who actually have ocular melanoma. If we give every patient Avastin injections after radiation treatment whether they have signs and symptoms of radiation retinopathy or not, we are absolutely over-treating people who may never get radiation retinopathy in the first place.  Take-home points: Be thoughtful, be open to not knowing, accept that there is always something to learn, becasue no one knows everything. As a patient, learn to notice if you think your care is mindless or mindful and speak up! For Tara McCannel's resources (including webinar links and link to my book!), visit my website: https://seyhart.com/ocularmelanoma Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma, a guide to understanding everything there is to know about your experience with this rare cancer. Learn through the lens of my knowledge and clinical experience as a physician expert and passionate patient advocate. The more you know about ocular melanoma, the better you will do, and the better you will live. Let's go! The content shared on the Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information provided must not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. As a listener, you are responsible for your own health-related decisions and must consider consulting with a healthcare professional for personalized medical advice.  Tara McCannel MD PhD is a an ocular oncologist, vitreoretinal surgeon and co-founder of Seyhart Wellness. She is also the host of the Mind Body MD podcast where she shares her passion for holistic health and wellness.