Danielle Ofri
Associate Professor | New York University School of Medicine
New York City, NY, UNITED STATES
Front-line doctor who speaks to current issues in healthcare and brings back the humanity to medicine
Media
Publications:
Documents:
Videos:
Audio/Podcasts:
Biography
As a physician and teacher at the oldest public hospital in the United States, and as a writer and literary editor, Dr. Danielle Ofri speaks with unique insight into the practice of medicine in America.
She is an attending physician in Bellevue Hospital’s medical clinic, which has been the home of the most extraordinary human stories throughout its long history in the nation’s most diverse and complex city.
In her practice and as an Associate Professor of Medicine at New York University, Dr. Ofri has focused on reaching the real humanity of her patients and on teaching young doctors to how to do the same.
She is medicine's leading proponent of the power of story—and of literature—to teach healthcare providers and to improve the practice of medicine.
With award-winning stories of her experiences as a doctor, she also brings to general audiences first-hand accounts of the joys and challenges of medical practice, rich insights into how the healthcare system works, and poignant reflections on the human condition.
Dr. Ofri's writings have been included in Best American Essays 2005 & 2002, and Best American Science Writing 2003. She received the Missouri Review Editor's Prize for nonfiction, and the McGovern award from the American Medical Writers Association.
Industry Expertise (3)
Health Care - Services
Health Care - Providers
Health and Wellness
Areas of Expertise (5)
Technology in Medicine
Multiculturalism and Diversity in Medicine
Doctor-Patient Connections
The Doctor's World
Humanism and Professionalism in Medicine
Affiliations (1)
- New York University School of Medicine
Links (3)
Sample Talks (5)
Medical Error and the Ethics of Apology
As evidence mounts about the human cost of medical error, society is scrambling to find ways to contain this "epidemic." At the heart of the issue is how to coax a culture of secrecy and guilt into the light. Do the human beings who commit these errors—doctors and nurses—have the capacity within themselves to come forward and admit these errors? Dr. Ofri brings an insider's view of the struggle to confess error. With insight and honesty, she explores how medical personnel face the delicate issue of apologizing to a patient.
Multiculturalism and Diversity
Like all areas in our culture, medicine faces many challenges in our multicultural society. Stereotypes can subtly undermine medicine's commitment to patient care. Dr. Ofri faces these challenges head-on. With a candid assessment of how biases infiltrate medicine, she generates unusual and creative ways to bridge cultural gaps.
Technology in Medicine
Technology is transforming medicine at a breathless pace. From computerized treatment algorithms to electronic medical records, every aspect of medicine has been refashioned by the digital revolution. What is the impact of this ongoing metamorphosis? How has the doctor-patient relationship been altered? This presentation digs beneath the technology to examine how doctors and patients can still connect.
Bringing Back the Humanity to Medicine
As anyone who has ever been to the doctor knows, medicine isn't what it used to be. Despite enormous advances in healthcare, patients and doctors alike are dissatisfied with their experience. With confidence and thoughtfulness, Dr. Ofri seeks inspiration in even the unlikeliest of sources. From years of experience in some of the most challenging healthcare settings, Dr. Ofri brings wisdom and heart to medicine.
Medical Professionalism
Professionalism is a hot-button issue in the medical world. As the field comes under assault from all corners, health care workers can feel besieged and demoralized. Dr. Ofri goes right to the heart of the issue, and to the heart of the caregiver. Weaving wisdom from muses as diverse as Chekhov, Monday Night Football, and the legions of patients she has cared for, Dr. Ofri inspires caregivers to rekindle the ideals of medicine.
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Author Appearance
Social