PABLO BUITRON DE LA VEGA
“Patients don’t necessarily trust you because you gave them the right medication for their blood pressure or not. They trust you because you’re there to listen.”
Pablo is a front line preventive medicine physician, innovator, and educator who immigrated from Ecuador. He is passionate about addressing social drivers of health and empowering patients to thrive.
Pablo was interviewed by Kent Whitlock, an active member of Everyday Boston’s Bridge Project. He was photographed by Jaypix Belmer.
Pablo’s takeaways from the pandemic
(5 min)
Pablo describes how he learned from his patients the importance of acknowledging the damage the medical profession has done- and working to address it one conversation at a time.
Pablo’s tips for health care providers
Acknowledge to your patients the damage the medical profession has done to communities of color
Work hard to recognize and neutralize the power dynamic between yourself and your patients
Ask broad, open questions like “How’s life?” to encourage patients to share about their lives
“The medical knowledge that you have is essential but is not as impactful as the relationships that you build with your patients.”