Abstract
When Dr. Hugo Sax, a physician and the head of infection control for a hospital in Switzerland, entered the hospital as a patient, he had the rare opportunity to see a healthcare system from the other side. His experience brought into sharp relief the communication gaps and barriers to change that exist in most medical settings despite the best intentions of the staff. Equally surprising to Hugo was the ease with which he found himself falling into a dependent role, reluctant to question those responsible for his medical care or point out lapses in protocol that he witnessed. While his surgery was successful, Dr. Sax came away with more questions than answers about the ability of healthcare professionals and patients to navigate the complexities of caring for the individual as a whole.
Sax, Hugo