Living Your Bliss
Reclaim your passion and do what makes your heart sing.
S
houlder surgery is my passion. Nothing gives
me more satisfaction than repairing a rota-
tor cuff tear the size of the Mojave Desert.
And yet, I find myself doing complex knee recon-
structions and hip arthroscopies simply
because I can. Yes, it's difficult for any sur-
geon to give anything up, but if given a
choice between 5 shoulders or 5 knees
in a surgical day, it's a no-brainer.
Shoulders!
We are all called to the noblest of all
vocations. It's time we institute some
measure of limitation on our work and
be kinder to ourselves — and to our
patients. It's a fact that happy health-
care providers render better care. If
you absolutely dread the urology room,
but rejoice in working in ortho (a logi-
cal choice), make your wishes known.
Here's how I plan to follow my joy.
Stretched too thin
First, I won't book so many cases. Our beloved surgicenter is
designed to be fully operational until 5 p.m. After this time, staff
become exhausted, unintended overtime ensues, and the dreaded
excessive costs and potential unanticipated admissions to the "Big
Hospital" loom on many minds. Late last year, I stockpiled way too
many cases in an effort to avert new fiscal year deductibles for many
1 4 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7
Cutting Remarks
John D. Kelly IV, MD
If you absolutely dread the
urology room, but rejoice in
working in ortho (a logical choice),
make your wishes known.
• JOYFUL LIFE Do more of what you love and less of what you loathe.
Andre
Flewellen
