In divided times, a focus on human experience connects us

The realities of the time in which we find ourselves, not only in healthcare, but in society overall, have exposed so much of what was simmering beneath the surface of our humanity. Issues of equity and inclusion, of stress and burnout, of division and misconception and even the existence of alternative “truths” have caused rifts in our connection, weakened our societal foundations and pulled on the seams of the healthcare system itself. We close our eighth volume of Patient Experience Journal (PXJ) under this veil, yet I believe we have an opportunity to use this moment as a place from which to build. I do not suggest this work will be easy., but a conversation on experience is a clear and common ground. It challenges those who seek to dismantle versus build. It provides a space to look and act above the noise and does not let us overlook that it needs to be challenged and addressed. When we focus on the human experience found underneath all the rhetoric, we find opportunity and inspiration. A focus on human experience connects us.