Beyond the Stethoscope: Doctors' Stories of Reclaiming Hope, Heart and Healing in Medicine

Lucy Mayes

Heart Works Press, 2017 - Biography & Autobiography - 332 pages

Our health care system is sick. We live in an era of factory style medicine, spiralling costs, complex and chronic conditions, and doctors at the heart of it under pressure as never before. Witnessing worrying burnout in her doctor husband, Lucy Mayes went on a quest to find out what is really going on behind the scenes in medicine.

Lucy asked doctors on the front lines how they make meaning in their work, what quality medicine looks like to them, and what their hopes are for the future of medicine. What emerged were consistent messages about elements of practice that the culture and systems of medicine still struggle to understand and support: the power of humanism; compassion; listening; the therapeutic relationship; preventative care; the doctors' own wellbeing journey; and mind-body plus other holistic understandings of health and healing.

Contributors are generalist and specialist doctors from Australia, New Zealand and beyond, and include some nationally and internationally renown health care reformists including Dr David Reilly (Scotland), Professor Vikram Patel (India & USA), Dr Robin Youngson (NZ), Dr Catherine Crock (Australia) and Dr Vicki Kotsirilos (Australia).

Beyond the Stethoscope is for doctors, patients and for those who work in or have an interest in healthcare. It will leave readers shocked, moved and inspired by the struggles, wisdom and insights of those who sit before them in that most ancient and intimate of humanist exchanges: that of the doctor and patient.

About the author

Lucy Mayes is a trained lawyer, social worker and company director. She works as a leadership, community and organisational development consultant, and story catcher. Her writing has been published in literary and academic journals and she is a sought-after speaker and facilitator. Lucy has served on several not for profit Boards and has worked in leadership development for over 20 years. Her innovative work in leadership has led to her being awarded a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship, and being Victorian runner up of the prestigious Australian Rural Women's Award in 2008, sponsored by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. Lucy lives in Central Victoria, Australia where she is a proud and passionate mother, wife and community member. Her interest in the medical profession stems from her role as 'doctor's wife, ' and also from a former life practicing medical litigation law, and a lifetime interest in human systems and purpose and wellbeing at work.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Beyond the Stethoscope: Doctors' Stories of Reclaiming Hope, Heart and Healing in Medicine
• Author: Lucy Mayes
• Publisher: Heart Works Press, 2017
• ISBN: 0648182703, 9780648182702
• Length: 332 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Medical (incl. Patients); Health & Fitness / Healing; Health & Fitness / Health Care Issues; Medical / General; Medical / Health Care Delivery; Medical / Health Policy; Medical / Physician & Patient (incl. Narrative Medicine)