Michael P. Goldman, MD, knows the pediatric emergency department can be a scary place for children and their families. With that in mind, Dr. Goldman, who specializes in pediatric emergency medicine, works to bring a sense of calm and understanding to the bedside.
Dr. Goldman says he never assumes one approach will work for all families. “Some want empathy. Others focus on testing. And still others would do anything to prevent their child from a needle stick,” he says. “We believe the best strategy is to ask the patient and family about their biggest concerns. This helps to maximize the limited time we have with each patient.”
Growing up playing team sports, Dr. Goldman says working in a busy emergency department is not so different. “Everyone on our team knows their individual roles well, but we also know how to check in with each other,” he says. “A highly functional team creates an ideal experience for patients and their families, and I love being a part of it.”
Dr. Goldman is an assistant professor of pediatrics (emergency medicine) and of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine. His research interests include improving medical decision making. “As emergency department providers, we make thousands of critical and trivial, as well as evidence- and experience-based decisions each shift,” he says. “Without feedback on how our decisions play out, we may develop incorrect patterns. My research involves creating mechanisms to deliver feedback of this nature across pediatric emergency care.”
