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(WJBK) - A Henry Ford doctor had an eye-opening situation when she went from being doctor to a critical patient.
During a trip to the Henry Ford ER, Dr. Rana Awdish hemorrhaged nearly all of her blood volume and lost her unborn child. She effectively died, then, spent months fighting for her life in the same hospital where she treated patients.
During that time as a patient, her perspective switched and she had a new perspective of how doctors communicate with patients.
"What surprised me was how difficult it was for us, as physicians, to give bad news. We don't have training in that. And so, I heard things presented to me in ways that were hurtful as a patient," she says.
For example, she recalls a moment when she was on the ICU bed hearing someone say, "she's trying to die on us."
"And I thought, well, that's not true at all," she says.
She has used her experience to start a culture revolution at Henry Ford and other institutions, including new education programs for teaching physician communication.
Dr. Awdish wrote about her experience in her new book "In Shock: My Journey From Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope." The book officially went on sale in the United States this week.
She joined us in studio to tell us more about her book and the new training she's helped implement. You can hear from her in the video player above.
She says her book isn't just for doctors but it's an expression of how powerful it would be if we are all present for each other's suffering.