06 Jun 2024

Finding Your Medical Tribe'The New Era of Collaborative Care Teams

🏠︎ | Past Presentations | Whole Person Health | Finding Your Medical Tribe—The New Era of Collaborative Care Teams

Event: IPM Congress 2024
Date: 6th June 2024
By: Dr. Kristi Morlan-Hughes
Estimated Read Time: 5- 6minutes

Introduction

At the IPM Congress 2024, Dr. Kristi Morlan-Hughes delivered a session that was both inspiring and profoundly connected to the themes of healthcare and personal well-being. Her talk titled, "Finding Your Medical Tribe The New Era of Collaborative Care Teams," delved into the importance of community, personal health, and how healthcare providers can maintain their own wellness while serving others.

Dr. Morlan-Hughes opened by sharing the serendipitous nature of connecting with one's tribe and emphasized the significance of belonging to a community that supports personal and professional growth. Her analogies of trees and forests provided a grounding metaphor for understanding individual health journeys and the role of collaborative care.

Introduction Awakening to Your Medical Tribe

Dr. Morlan-Hughes began with a sense of enthusiasm and a call to recognize the serendipities that indicate you're among your people, your tribe. She expressed the importance of connections, both serendipitous and intentional, and highlighted how these interactions contribute to a sense of belonging.

For those in the healthcare sector, finding a tribe is not just about professional alignment but about finding a community that resonates deeply with one's personal journey. Dr. Morlan-Hughes set the stage for a discussion on the evolving landscape of healthcare, where collaboration, empathy, and holistic approaches are increasingly valued as part of collaborative care teams.

The Heart of Healing Staying Below the Neck

Expanding on the metaphor of trees, Dr. Morlan-Hughes talked about staying "below the neck"'a concept encouraged by her mentors in zen and shamanic practices. This metaphor encourages individuals to connect with their heart and intuition, rather than getting caught up solely in intellectual pursuits. In the context of healthcare, this suggests treating patients with empathy and understanding, rather than merely following protocol and regurgitating medical pathways, and highlights the significance of root cause care approaches.

Collaborative Care A New Era

Highlighting a growing need for collaborative care, Dr. Morlan-Hughes urged healthcare professionals to look beyond traditional systems that often leave providers overwhelmed, contributing to the high rates of physician burnout. With the burgeoning challenges in today's healthcare landscape, providers are moving towards root cause care.

This approach dives deeper into understanding underlying health issues rather than merely addressing symptoms, providing a more comprehensive framework that benefits both patients and providers within collaborative care teams.

Seasons of the Soul The Tree of Life Metaphor

Dr. Morlan-Hughes introduced the Tree of Life as a guiding symbol for understanding the journey of healthcare providers and patients alike. She emphasized the cyclical nature of both personal and professional growth, likening it to the seasons that a tree experiences. Dr. Morlan-Hughes explained that during winter, trees rest and prepare, in spring they bloom with new ideas, in summer they thrive and express robust health, and in fall they reflect and let go of what's no longer needed.

This cyclical process mirrors how healthcare providers must adapt, reflect, and grow with the changing demands of their profession, addressing issues like physician burnout.

Healing Isn't Linear Embracing the Messy Journey

Dr. Morlan-Hughes asserted that healing isn't a straightforward process. Using the analogy of trees surviving storms or tough conditions, she illustrated that personal and professional setbacks are part of the growth journey. Whether it's dealing with autoimmune conditions or navigating professional challenges, understanding these cycles can empower healthcare providers to handle them with grace and resilience, often relying on the support of collaborative care teams for comprehensive solutions.

Rooting in Reality The Importance of Finding Your Forest

One of the central themes of Dr. Morlan-Hughes's talk was finding one's place'both in a physical and metaphorical sense. She spoke to the gut feeling many have when they're not 'planted' in the right environment, whether that's a job, a relationship, or a life path. Dr. Hughes encouraged healthcare providers to identify environments that support their health and ambition, much like finding the right forest in which to grow, enhancing their ability to combat physician burnout through supportive networks.

Navigating Life's Storms Personal Reflections

Sharing personal stories of loss and recovery, Dr. Morlan-Hughes spoke candidly about the life events that shaped her path'a brother's suicide, her own struggles with long-haul COVID, and the profound burnout she experienced. Through these stories, she highlighted the importance of community, resilience, and finding personal anchors in stormy times. These experiences deepened her understanding of what patients go through and the significance of the supportive, interconnected 'forest' around them, aided by collaborative care teams.

Collaborative Care Teams Building a Supportive Network

Dr. Morlan-Hughes drove home the importance of cultivating a collaborative care team as an essential part of any healthcare provider's professional life. This network, akin to an interconnected forest, offers

Further Reading

For those interested in delving deeper into Dr. Kristi Morlan-Hughes's work on collaborative care and functional medicine, the following resources offer valuable insights:

Introduction to Functional Medicine and KBMO Testing: Dr. Hughes discusses the role of functional medicine and KBMO testing in identifying and addressing root causes of health issues, offering practical approaches for practitioners.
Dr. Kristi Morlan-Hughes, ND, IFMCP, FMCHC: An overview of Dr. Hughes's expertise in functional and integrative medicine, highlighting her contributions to education and patient care.
Kristi Hughes-Morlan, ND: Learn about Dr. Hughes's work with the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and her focus on promoting wellness through functional medicine approaches.
Shaking Your Tree - with Dr. Kristi Morlan-Hughes: In this video, Dr. Hughes explores the Tree of Life metaphor and its application in collaborative care, emphasizing resilience and growth in healthcare practice.