July 2026: Shakespeare in the Bush

SHAKESPEARE IN THE BUSH

AND THE PATIENT VOICE

I was recently reminded of Shakespeare in the Bush, a classic anthropological essay by Laura Bohannan that explores how culture shapes interpretation. It raises an uncomfortable question for healthcare: How often do we mistake listening for understanding?

We celebrate giving patients a voice, but too often we never stop to ask whether we're hearing what they're actually saying. Every patient arrives with their own culture, relationships, values, fears, and definition of a life worth living. Without understanding that story, we risk translating their words into something that makes sense to us rather than honoring what they actually mean.

If we're engaging a version of the patient we've constructed ourselves, that has consequences for every conversation, every recommendation, and every decision we make together. Authentic engagement begins with genuine ongoing curiosity.

Read the article for yourself. And then tell me, where are we missing meaning in healthcare conversations?

Shakespeare-in-the-Bush.pdf

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