Unique care for a unique burden.
Dr. Stephanie Hill has seen firsthand the impact that high-quality psychiatric care can have on patients and their families. Working in the world of geriatric psychiatry, her patients walk through life with a special burden. That is a challenge she embraces every day at ECU Health.
The Respect of a ‘Bootstrap’ Generation
Working with older patients makes Hill’s relationship with those in her care a unique one. The fact that they are of the World War II generation — she says they have “very big bootstraps” — can mean issues of depression and anxiety often haven’t been addressed for years. However, the respect that her patients’ generation has for doctors allows for a special relationship in which they truly value her expertise. They have a great appreciation for honesty, so the time spent face-to-face getting to really know them is rewarded with their trust. Hill relishes the opportunity to return a bit of spring to her patients’ step, and looks for ways to treat her patients without medication. Something as simple as turning on music and allowing them the freedom to sing and dance has made a noticeable impact on their mental well-being.
“Patients Aren’t Treated Like a Diagnosis, or a Room Number”
The commitment across the whole team to treat patients with dignity and respect, as real people with real issues, is a major part of why Hill is glad to be a doctor at ECU Health. That high regard is extended to staff as well, as Hill notes the respect she receives as a physician is a huge factor in her commitment to ECU Health, as doctors can sometimes be treated as medication vending machines. “I don’t see that here, and I don’t see any trends to make it that way,” she says. “I’m very pleased with that.”