For instance, one of the most striking revelations from the interviews wasn’t just the trauma of being diagnosed with a life-threatening condition—it was the moment patients were told there were no more treatment options left. This wasn’t simply a medical dead- end; it was a breaking point that fundamentally affected how they saw themselves, their future, and the system they relied on. The causal loop diagram captures these moments, mapping how they ripple through the patient’s trust in physicians, their hope, and even their willingness to engage with future care. The issues highlighted in red, for instance “side effects and lifestyle restrictions,” “the bucket list,” and “significance of individual existence” are features not normally considered in a medical investment but are highly impactful on human lives. Equally important, the diagram highlights broader systemic dynamics: 1. Trust and Communication: How does the relationship between a physician and patient evolve over time? What happens when trust is broken, and how does that affect a patient’s long-term outcomes? 2. Understanding and Accessibility: Beyond the quality of medical care, how effectively can patients understand and act on the information given to them? This involves both the physician’s ability to communicate and the patient’s capacity to process and trust what they hear. 3. Community Listening and Values: What do patients define as “quality of life,” and how does the healthcare system align—or fail to align—with those values? This question underscores the importance of listening to communities, rather than imposing external definitions of success. Why This Approach Stands Out What makes this causal loop diagram exceptional is its focus on mapping experiential, relational, and systemic dynamics. It demonstrates a rare willingness to listen to the community and integrate their lived experiences into the fund’s understanding of the challenges. This isn’t just data collection—it’s a process of co-creation with the people most affected.
113
Ten Years in the Making
Powered by FlippingBook