Unsung Heroes of Health Care Show: CBC Radio

By Dr. Brian Goodman
White Coat, Black Art
CBC Radio, Nov. 11, 2011
 

When you think of hospitals, you probably picture places staffed by nurses and people like me.  The image is far from complete.  There are countless others who toil in healthcare's shadows.  They have job titles like service assistant, lab technician and respiratory therapist.  Explaining what they do can be hard to do at cocktail parties.

But make no mistake:  these are people who look after you with skill and compassion.  And sometimes, they mean the difference between life and death.

This week, we walk in the shoes of the unsung heroes of health care.  We tell their stories - doctors and nurses need not apply.  I visit a hospital where I meet a professional who keeps your breathing when seconds count.  I talk with a clinic receptionist who cheers you up as you wait nervously for test results from your doctor.  I chat with a case manager who - more often than not - finds a way to keep seniors and others with chronic illness and disability living at home.  We also meet a hospital employee who stayed at her post at the hospital when others were fleeing for their lives.

To listen now, download the podcast.