Odie Dick loved the care he received at Duke Otolaryngology. Mr. Dick, who passed away in January 2024, received treatment for head and neck cancer from Walter Lee, MD, and the team.
“Odie thought the sun rose and set on Dr. Lee,” said Gail Dick, his wife. “He was so good to us. The entire team was fine people. We loved going there.
“I don’t think Odie would have lived as long as he did without Dr. Lee and the Duke team.”
Mr. Dick showed his appreciation by supporting the department’s Leadership Lived Out program. Leadership Lived Out is an interprofessional training program for everyone who is involved in providing care—staff, nurses, physician assistants, ancillary professionals, physicians, and trainees. The program is completely funded by donations.
Dr. Lee says Mr. Dick was especially impressed by the team-based care he received. Mr. Dick served in the United States Navy for 30 years and understood the importance of working as a comprehensive unit. Mr. Dick gave resources to support the program and signed a pledge to give—a commitment that Dr. Lee especially appreciated as it was a big sacrifice on the part of the Dicks.
Since 2013, Leadership Lived Out has helped improve patient care by examining how team members interact with patients and with one another as a healthcare team.
“It takes a team of leaders to deliver excellent care,” Dr. Lee said. “Everybody on the team has a role to play.”
Participants engage in leadership development seminars on issues such as problem-solving, decision-making, self-awareness, empathy, motivation, and empowerment. Funds are also used to support formal coaching sessions. This intervention addresses leadership growth opportunities that are evident from feedback received from peers, supervisors, and direct reports.
Recently the group read a leadership book by Brené Brown.
“Activities like reading the same book helps get everyone on the same page—all with the intention of being better at what we do,” Dr. Lee said.
The results of the program show in the reaction of patients. “We hear from a lot of patients about how excellent the team is. Patients benefit from the program—so much that many choose to give back by supporting Leadership Lived Out.”
If you’d like to support the program, please consider donating.
Learn more about Leadership Lived Out.