Your heart is racing. Your palms are sweaty and your breath is shallow and fast. You feel paralysed by fear.
This is the reality for many Australians when visiting the doctor. This overwhelming fear creates Medical Anxiety - a cycle of avoidance, which often leaves vital conditions undiagnosed, and risks serious health consequences like heart disease, stroke, cancer, and even death.
MINT Clinic is a Melbourne-based integrative health centre pioneering a patient-centric, holistic, and collaborative approach to health care. We empower patients, and improve their quality of life and wellbeing, by acknowledging, addressing and dismantling fear.
Here are three key ways MINT Clinic addresses Medical Anxiety…
ONE: We have reimagined the traditional medical environment. From the moment patients enter, they’re enveloped in soothing music, lush greenery, serene artwork and a lounge-like waiting room that immediately eases anxiety. Our open reception area fosters a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, breaking down barriers both literal and metaphorical.
TWO: We have transformed the clinical experience into one of collaboration.
We have removed the ‘barrier’ of consulting across a desk. Consultations take place at a round table symbolising partnership and shared decision making.
Our detailed patient intake forms and extended consultations facilitate a thorough dialogue with the patient, leading to tailored treatment plans.
We provide education, resources, and support that builds a community of patients who are empowered to advocate for their health, creating positive ripples of change beyond our clinic.
This shift from a hierarchical to a participatory model of care encourages patients to voice their fears, engage in their treatment plan, and take active steps toward achieving their health goals.
THREE: We value the wellbeing and happiness of our staff and practitioners, offering mentoring, training and support. This translates to more attentive and empathetic care for our patients—an ethos that is central to our clinic.
The story of MINT Clinic isn't just about treatment; it's about changing the nature of medical care, from fear to trust, from illness to wellness, from patient to empowered health partner. We're excited to showcase our innovative approach to rewriting the health care narrative, one patient at a time.