While reading a chapter from the book A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink, I learned about the concept called “narrative medicine”. Narrative medicine is a practice that encourages doctors to focus on the power of observation (listening to a patient’s story or description of ailments) instead of relying entirely on computer diagnostics. In context to the dilemma of left brain versus right brain thinking, research suggests that the practice of narrative medicine ultimately helps doctors to provide the patient with the most accurate diagnosis, and thus subsequent care possible. This practice has even found its way into the curriculum at the most prestigious medical schools across the country. For example, at the Yale School of Medicine, medical students have been seen spending afternoons studying the arts. The course, created by faculty member Dr. Irwin Braverman and Linda Friedlaender—who is the curator of education at the Yale Center for British Art, hopes to increase the observational skills of future doctors through the interpretation of paintings. In fact, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found a 10% improvement in medical students’ ability to notice subtle details in the patient-diagnostic process after participating in this course.

My question now is: How can we designers create healthcare environments that continue to promote right brain thinking within a left brain thinking field?