Medical reality documentaries are taking prominence on the television screen beyond being confined to, The Learning Channel, and, The Discovery Channel. “Boston Med,” is the latest one. Can medical documentaries assist in breaking down barriers of conflicts between medical professionals and patients?
“Boston Med,” a medical documentary just finished a television run on channel ABC, August 12, 2010. Terence Wrong, head producer and writer, along with three other producers and fantastic videographers, filmed a fantastic series and spectacular finale.
The finale of “Boston Med,” featured, Joseph Helfgot, a Hollywood executive with heart disease waiting for an urgent heart transplant. James Maki, a Vietnam vet, needed a face transplant after a horrific injury resulting from falling on the third rail of a train track. Both men were followed throughout the series. Joseph Helfgot unfortunately succumbed due to surgery complications during his heart transplant.
Susan Whitman Helfgot, Joseph Helfgot’s wife had the dire emotional responsibility of making the critical decision to donate her husband’s organs. Susan fulfills her husband’s request to donate his organs, even after being asked to donate his face.
Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, a surgeon from, Women’s and Brigham Hospital, performed James Maki’s successful face transplant. To make, Boston Med’s, finale more dramatic, Susan Whitman Helfgot requested to meet the recipient of her husband’s face tissue donation. James Maki had the opportunity to thank her for a new lease on life due to her husband’s generous gift. James Maki also had the opportunity to meet the recipient of the first female face transplant surgery in America. Both exchanged a cryptic emotional conversation regarding their dramatic altered life changes.
“Boston Med,” allowed viewers to follow actual doctors, residents, nurses, patients and their families while filming in three hospitals. We viewed, Massachusetts General, Women’s and Brigham Hospital and Children’s Hospital. Executive producer, Terence Wrong documented the professional and personal side to critical medical care.
We also viewed the human side of being a doctor. All their flaws and fragilities were filmed in a way no other medical documentary has recently done. We view doctors as they applaud their successes, battle difficulties, make medical mistakes and decisions, and even face the issue of death, while attempting to have personal lives outside of the hospital.
We viewed nurses, the backbones of doctors and advocates for patients. We see nurses who have to challenge doctors in order to render the best care for their patients. Nurses face their ethical and personal beliefs as they perform duties, and still attempt to find time to leave their job behind and have a personal life. This is sometimes difficult for many nurses and doctors because of the high stressed demands of their job.
More importantly patients are viewed as they face their critical medical crisis. Patients are forced to allow their lives to be placed in the hands of medical professionals. We view patient’s battle their physical disorders which bring multiple conflicts. We view families feeling helpless, but also stand up as advocates for their family members.
“Boston Med,” allowed television viewers to face both the frank business side and personal side of medical care. We were allowed into the operating room to observe the banter, which sometimes becomes humorous between the surgical teams. As patients we’re still fearful when we have to put our lives in the hands of medical professionals, often setting doctors up on pedestals. “Boston Med,” offers us the knowledge that medical professionals are human with all the fragilities that come along being human. It’s important for patients to understand the stress of being a medical caregiver in a rapidly advancing medical world.
As laymen we could use more medical documentary programming to take center stage, continuing to break down the barriers and fears built between patients and medical professionals. It’s also important for medical professionals to view the personal side of being a patient.
I personally would select excellent eye opening documentaries in the example of, “Boston Med,” over all the trashy reality series consuming television programming. I applaud, Terence Wrong and his staff, and all the doctors, nurses and medical staff who allowed their professions and personal life to be shared. I especially applaud patients and family members who’ve generously and openly shared their medical dramas and personal lives.
Below is an interesting link to a video regarding a conversation with Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, the surgeon who performed the first male face transplantation at Brigham.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/boston-med-finale-11387806
Below is a link to ABC, where you can view full, “Boston Med,” episodes.
http://vp2.abc.go.com/watch/boston-med/SH5570013
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