Why Gratitude Can Be a Powerful Medicine

Why Gratitude Can Be a Powerful Medicine

Imagine a powerful practice that strengthens human connection, improves well-being, boosts psychological health and supports a healthy workplace culture. And anyone can do it because it’s among the most fundamental human impulses of all: the simple act of giving thanks.

Gratitude takes many forms, and it changes lives however it is expressed.

• In Utah, a dejected hospital visitor, trudging across the parking lot after a draining emergency room visit with a loved one, found a rose and a note pinned to her car’s windshield. It read, “you are loved so much,” and was placed there by local residents who appreciate their hospital and want to cheer up its patients and families. She was profoundly appreciative of this thoughtful act of kindness.
• In Arizona, a renowned multiple birth specialist at Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix fought valiantly and successfully to save the lives of four identical baby girls born at 30 weeks. It was touch-and-go for a while for the quadruplets — a rare birth occurrence with odds estimated at 1 in 40 million — but all are doing well now. “We’re so grateful for the stellar care from all of the teams who have helped us at Banner,” said their mom.
• In Pennsylvania, nurses at Paoli Hospital in suburban Philadelphia were stunned to learn in September that an anonymous donor had pledged $1 million to help relieve their student loan debt. The donor’s heartwarming act of generosity was a meaningful acknowledgment of the nurses’ tireless dedication and the lives they’ve touched. Said one of the nurses, her voice filled with gratitude, “We must have stood out in some way.” 

Every day in hospitals and health systems across America, wonderful acts of caring, generosity and regard for the well-being of others quietly unfold among care teams, patients, families and entire communities who rely on their care providers. AHA’s Telling the Hospital Story webpage highlights the countless ways care providers are changing peoples’ lives for the better each and every day.

And for their work, skill, dedication, compassion and caring, America is profoundly grateful.

We know that this year has been challenging for our health care field. We also know that every day people experience personal challenges and sometimes the temptation to surrender to hopelessness can be strong. 

But that is not the American character. Since the birth of our nation, in good times and bad, we have paused each fall to recognize the power of thankfulness, of counting our blessings even in the face of formidable challenges.

And the truth is we have much to be thankful for.

We are thankful for our hospital and health system caregivers who remain dedicated to providing excellent care to their patients and community. 

We are thankful for our scientists and researchers who continue to make advancements to help us improve care and health. 

We are thankful for our hospital and health system leaders who are navigating these difficult times with one priority in mind — ensuring access to quality care and advancing the health of all patients and communities. 

We are thankful for our patients who are the center of all we do. They inspire and motivate us to deliver the best care every day to help them live healthy and prosperous lives.  

The AHA’s latest Forever Grateful social media toolkit includes posts and graphics expressing support and appreciation for all health care workers. Hospitals and health systems are encouraged to use and customize these resources during the holiday season for posting on their social media platforms.

Acknowledging the goodness in our lives and in other people benefits patients, providers and our health care system as a whole. Cultivating gratitude is a source of resilience, connection and well-being, reminding everyone — patients, clinicians and staff alike — that health care is not just a technical endeavor, but a profoundly human one.

As many of us gather around the table next week to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with our families and friends, let’s take an extra minute to give thanks for the good things in our lives and for the care teams at every hospital and health system across America who are working that day to care for the sick and injured. Their courage, compassion and commitment to caring inspires and gives us great hope for the future.

From all of us at the American Hospital Association, best wishes for a happy, healthy and safe Thanksgiving.