Communication is Care: 9 Empowering Strategies to Guide Patient Healing
Submision Type
book
Logline
This is a nonfiction guide and personal narrative of my journey as a caregiver and healthcare provider on both sides of the healthcare system for more than 10 years. Using my my story as a caregiver to my dad for many years, I illustrate the healing powers of compassion, empathy, and empowerment.
Genre
Family,Memoir,Religious
Short Summary
It begins with finding my calling of becoming a compassionate-focused physiotherapist after witnessing my father’s long-term struggles as a critical-care patient in the ICU.The vulnerability of my storytelling provokes empathy from readers to learn from and best serve their patients in their careers
Setting
Ontario, Canada
Based on a True Story
Yes
Plot - Premise
Tragedy,Quest,Other
Plot - Other Elements
Meaningful Message,Philosophical Questions
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Main Character Details
Name: Jennifer George (Myself), Jimmy George (My dad)
Age: Myself: 30s, My dad: 70s-80
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Empathetic,Educated,Leader,Religious,Visionary,Strong Moral Code
Additional Character Details
Name: Jimmy George
Age: 83
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Underdog,Faithful,Complex,Clumsy
Additional Character Details
The author has not yet written this
Additional Character Details
The author has not yet written this
Genre
DRAMA
Brief
Jimmy George suffers unforeseen complications from a liver transplant gone wrong. His daughter, Jennifer must step up to take care of him where the healthcare system is lacking. As his caregiver on top of her profession as a physiotherapist, she learns the benefits of communicating to patients beyond their charts and standardized practice. Her reflections set out to revolutionize the quality of care and control a patient has over their treatment.
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: FAIR
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: FAIR
Premise: GOOD
Structure: GOOD
Theme: GOOD
Accuracy of Book Profile
The profile generally reflects the narrative as a whole. However the age of the father should go with the character description. This will better separate the character details to be followed more easily.
Draw of Story
There is a clear plan and structure how professionals can create more empathetic care for their patients. The real world examples of Jennifer caring for her father show the abstract concepts in motions which adds emotional investment and proves their success in practice.
Possible Drawbacks
The steps suggested are meant to help fix the individual healthcare provider without solutions to fix the system that overworks and lessens the control of the healthcare provider patient collaboration. There is still a business aspect and national standards that workers must follow which unfortunately means neither party can do what they choose for a variety of reasons from bureaucracy, funding, training and or staff caseloads. While the intent for the individual is noble, it may be hard to provide the focus needed unlike a personal caregiver relationship, because of any of these systematic obstacles. Without solutions for the systems, it seems unfair to talk down about caregivers who are subject to the rules and capabilities of their workplace.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is that Jennifer's care of her ailing father combined with her medical expertise uniquely qualifies the writer on how to instruct medical care providers to improve the personal treatment of their patients which in turn will improve their physical and mental health.
Fanbase Potential
As a documentary, this may appeal to a small dedicated audience of people who are caregivers to a close relative or friend. Medical professionals may also benefit from the knowledge, but potential patients and families are unlikely to learn the important lessons from it themselves to advocate for their care until they already require daily care.
Awards Potential
This is unlikely to have awards potential unless the lessons are couple with systematic changes to create a larger change of empathy within the medical field as whole including insurance and pharmaceuticals.
Envisioned Budget
LOW BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
THE CHILDREN ACT, HOUSE, PATCH ADAMS, RAIN MAN, MY LEFT FOOT, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
What’s New About the Story
The originality of the story is the idea behind the patient control of the medical care and the angle at which the care is given switching from a scientific approach of an empathetic approach.
Lead Characters
Jennifer is dedicated, strong, and calm. Her wisdom shines through. Jimmy George is dignified and trusting.
Uniqueness of Story
This has a lot of noble ideas, but the scope is developed towards the individual professional which may limit or delay its potential for change in the profession as a whole.
Possible Formats
Film: Streaming Unscripted
Analyst Recommendation
WORK IN PROGRESS
Justification
While the story has many positive points, it has room for improvement (see possible paths below). If you can't change the story at this point, my suggestion is using your notes as a guide to highlight the best aspects of it when taking the next steps, either putting a pitch page together, a treatment, or a presentation.
Tips for Improvement
Adding systematic solutions on top of the individual professional plan would help showcase the effectiveness of the important reflections. Greater focus on the characters of the father and daughter would also create greater emotional investment and understanding of the abstract concepts as well as faster pacing with a clear beginning, middle and end.