Wendy Sue Swanson is first and foremost, a mom. Never mind that she practices pediatrics at The Everett Clinic, is executive director of Digital Health at Seattle Children's Hospital, has been writing her immensely popular Seattle Mama Doc blog for four years, and has now authored a book, Mama Doc Medicine.
"More than anything, my children are my priority," Swanson says, talking about her two young sons. She takes her successes and challenges – and, she admits, failures – in this most important of roles as fodder for her work. They help her to put a relatable voice to subjects that can be technical, overwhelming and even frightening to parents. "I just act like a normal human being, and talk about how it's hard for me. It would be a farce to think we're all perfect and I have it all mastered."
Swanson is, however, on the cutting edge. In her new role with Children's, she networks nationwide with health care providers who want to use digital technology in their facilities, is in charge of a team at Children's that is exploring and implementing those technologies, and speaks across the country about these efforts.
"The reality is that if we can open up more channels for content sharing, then we can get healthier faster," Swanson says.
As an example, she describes a pilot program that would immediately connect a patient making an appointment to a video of his doctor, links to fact-checked and vetted articles on the condition he is seeking treatment for, and a map of how to get to the facility. A "virtual handshake," Swanson calls it. During the appointment, the provider could video capture a summary of her findings and recommendations, and send it as an attachment to the patient along with additional links for him to read if he wants to learn more.
"My hope is that by encouraging patients to go online and by directing them to content we like and we trust, we can have better, transparent decision making and better conversations that are informed," she says. These tools will also help providers reach more people seeking good information. "I want us to take on the opportunity to take on education, not just one-to-one but one-to-many. That will ultimately build trust in the system."
Health care facilities are slowly buying into this idea, learning from innovators like Swanson about how to incorporate digital tools into the health care experience while respecting the privacy and intimacy of the provider-patient relationship.
"We can't ignore this," Swanson says. "Four years ago people laughed at me, and they're not laughing anymore. I wasn't wrong when I said these tools were important."
They are, however, simply tools. Swanson notes that relationships, and work-life balance, are critical to achieving the calm she strives for as a parent even amidst the chaos of the many hats she wears.
"There are days that it feels exhilarating and great, and there are days when I suffer a little bit," she says. Being honest about her experience is one way to help temper societal tone when it comes to women's roles in the home and the workplace, a subject so important Swanson calls it the "mortar" that holds her blog together.
"I love to provide my journey as a mom because I don't think we have a very tempered tone about this," she says. "This ‘mommy wars' stuff is infuriating; it's not making our lives any better."
Through her blog, and now her book, Swanson is certainly doing her part to help parents throughout Seattle – and the rest of her readership – achieve their own calm and confidence.
