“No acute events overnight” misses the truth that for most of our patients, these days in the hospital will be one of the bigger events of the year.

Instead, I try to get residents to tell me a few sentences that summarize how the last 24 hours have been different than a regular day at home.

Did this patient go anywhere? Meet any new people? Get new information?

Were they scared? In pain? Happy, relieved?

Who came to visit them yesterday?

Telling me that nobody did chest compressions on them doesn’t really flesh out the human experience of illness and their personal journey through our imperfect healthcare system.

“Had a frustrating day because she couldn’t eat. Finally got the biopsy which was pleasantly unpainful. Saw her kids in the evening which was nice. Feeling okay this morning.”

Afebrile overnight. Temperature 37.2...

Now I know this is a human in the bed and she know we are also humans taking care of her. Win-win!