
Dr. Goran Petrovski
Professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College in Doha, Qatar & Physician and Endocrinologist at Sidra Medicine in Doha
“The way we deliver healthcare services to our patients is changing dramatically but what has not changed is patients’ desire to feel understood and cared for. That need for empathetic care is at the heart of being human, especially when patients feel pain and are vulnerable.”
Dr. Goran Petrovski is Professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College in Doha, Qatar, and has been engaged in world-class clinical care and cutting-edge research that connects patients to the latest treatment innovations and prevention strategies. He also works as a Physician and Endocrinologist at Sidra Medicine in Doha, a hospital which provides access to quality, patient-centered care for children, young people, and women. Leadership skills which he learned at Harvard Business School made a huge impact on his confidence in developing new projects and making them real in his great international career, which started at the University Clinic of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders in Skopje, Macedonia.
What has been your proudest achievement throughout your international career as an endocrinologist? What do you think mostly influenced patient experiences?
“It’s very difficult to choose one, as each achievement has unique importance in a specific period of my career. Perhaps it was the insulin pump therapy project, as one of the novelties in healthcare services in Macedonia. An insulin pump is a small computerized device which delivers insulin through a thin tube that goes under your skin. By using insulin pumps in their therapies, patients experienced greater satisfaction and higher adherence to doses. Consequently, it improved their glycemic control and quality of life in many aspects. We definitely improved medical outcomes in treating diabetes in Macedonia and created positive patient experiences.
I was also very proud of my team at that time. I had a whole team of devoted colleagues and experts in their fields that contributed to the project’s success. By working together as a team, healthcare professionals can build protocols with procedures conducted smoothly and in a timely manner. We all invested our knowledge, enormous amounts of sleepless hours, and most importantly, our positive energy to make this project happen: pump therapy is now available in Macedonia.”
Besides highest standards in providing medical care in Doha, what else is important for patients to have a positive experience?
“From our perspective as doctors, ensuring best standards in medical care and medical outcomes is of the highest priority. However, my experience in communication with patients has taught me that this aspect is essential for them, but not the only one to create their positive experience and encourage them to return or recommend you as a doctor. On their medical journey, they pass through many communication points in the hospital setting that influence positively or negatively on patient experiences.
The appointment system, registration and check-in at the clinic, logistics, reminder calls for appointments, positive communication, and empathetic attitude by all employees they meet at the hospital are crucial. Patients should feel safe in the hospital environment, and building trust between us is part of providing better service. Furthermore, the digital world we live in offers virtual consultations and medical files on demand that have become part of our health culture. In particular, these new services can be beneficial for patients at specific points and can improve their experience. Accessing digital medical records is an unlimited opportunity to help healthcare workers connect in a way that shares information and focuses on what’s important to the patient.”
How have the leadership skills you acquired at HBS helped you in developing your career and your communication skills with colleagues and patients?
“Harvard Business School was a unique experience combining science, technology, economics, business, and management in one. I learned different approaches in project development, teamwork, leading and managing teams to get the most out of them, and implementing new ideas in clinical research. In one word, HBS made a huge impact on my confidence in developing new projects and making them real. At the end of the day, it brought me higher satisfaction from my work and opened new opportunities for my career.
The topic of ‘Making sense of turbulent times’ that was part of HBS proved valuable during the Covid-19 period. Together with my team, we developed a comprehensive virtual program for people with diabetes without clinic visits, which was very successful and improved their experiences. This program is still active and we continue to offer it to our patients.”
As an endocrinologist at Sidra Medicine, a hospital known for compassionate and excellent care of women, children, and young people, what do you find most important in your approach and communication with patients with endocrine disorders?
“The first point in the consultation is to make patients feel safe in the new environment. It takes some time to open the consultation for new patients, as some of them are afraid and nervous. I often start the interview in a friendly manner with simple, daily questions to open the discussion. Building the bridge and trust between us is most important. I have to ensure that the patient and caregiver understand what I am explaining, as well as the procedures that should be performed. At the end of the consultation, we agree on the plan, and I make sure the patient knows the next steps. Most patients have chronic conditions, and once you build trust, communication becomes easier with follow-up visits.”
As a professor at Weill Medical College in Doha, tell us about cutting-edge research and innovations which affect Patient Experience.
“I am mostly involved in Clinical Research with diabetes technologies, which I believe can help diabetes patients in changing their condition. The idea of this research is to translate findings into clinical practice in a short period so that patients and their caregivers will see and benefit from those results in their lives. The burden of diabetes with daily commitments (glucose checks, carbohydrate counting, and adjusting insulin doses) is high, which can deteriorate diabetes control.
In the last two years, we have been working to minimize the burden of diabetes using closed-loop systems in a novel way. One of the most important tasks for diabetes patients is to calculate carbohydrates and accordingly adjust insulin doses. This has been the golden standard in diabetes management for the last 40 years to maintain satisfactory glucose control. We developed a formula with preset amounts for three different carbohydrate levels (snack, normal, and large meal) programmed into the pump. Instead of doing calculations for each meal, patients simply announce the meal based on its size. We have proved that this method is safe and provides satisfactory glucose control similar to current practice with calculations, but with less burden and impact on quality of life. This research is already published in Diabetes Care, a peer-reviewed medical journal by the American Diabetes Association.
Performing a Randomized Clinical trial with a new hypothesis, never tested before, was a huge challenge for my team and the patients. To recruit patients for the study, we needed to convince them to participate, and in that process, trust and relationship between patient and healthcare provider came first. Both sides needed to be committed to this journey.”
Do you think quality of life or mental and physical well-being affects job satisfaction and the results achieved in your career as a doctor? What do you do in your free time to improve your physical and mental well-being?
“Professional and private time should be balanced as both are important. If we focus too much on the professional side, we can easily burn out, and if we focus too much on private time, we cannot achieve what we want to. Career achievements are important, particularly if they serve a certain cohort of patients, such as improvements in glucose control and quality of life in my case. On the other hand, we need to recharge our batteries to achieve our goals. Physical and mental well-being go hand in hand and are part of my lifestyle. Running and reading books are daily activities, along with social gatherings with friends during weekends, as well as traveling around the world, experiencing new cultures, and meeting new people.”