Nirali Desai

BPA 1 Summer Reading Assigment

Closing the Chart
Closing the Chart chronicled Dr. Steven Hsis lifelong struggle and experiences living
with a heart disorder, Takayasus 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. Hsis personal account. Oftentimes, as patients and family members, we
are not given the chance to question a doctor/surgeons 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. Hsis 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
supportwe bridge the gap between healing and hope. This book was inspiring and
should be read by every healthcare profession student. Dr. Hsis 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.