Lara Goitein, MD

I love being a doctor. To me, there is nothing more important or rewarding than helping sick people. I also enjoy the strong relationships with colleagues, patients and their families. Everyone is working toward the same goal. Few professions provide such a sense of clarity and purpose.

Being a practicing physician and colleague also helps me to understand the perspective of doctors on the frontline, and to promote physician-led quality improvement efforts across the organization.

I believe that a big part of being a good doctor is taking ownership. Medicine today is so complex that often a large team of specialists is needed to care for one person. Because of that, it’s easy for providers to look at their patients through the lens of their specialty alone. I do my best to seal the gaps between one health need and another, and to make sure my patient is being cared for as a whole person.

I also care a lot about communication. Particularly as an ICU physician, I always felt as much sympathy for families as the patients themselves. They are plunged into an alien and intimidating world. They desperately want to know how they can help their loved ones and be good advocates. For those reasons, I wrote the book, The ICU Guide for Families: Understanding Intensive Care and How You Can Support Your Loved One. I think my patients appreciate that I explain matters clearly and thoroughly, and families appreciate that I keep them informed and involved.

When I’m not taking care of patients or directing quality improvement, I spend time with my husband and two teenage kids. I used to be a river guide, and our family spends a lot of time on rivers, hiking, camping and exploring this beautiful place where we live.