The Healing That Hides in Delay

“You must throw yourself in. There is no other way.”
— George MacDonald, The Golden Key

In George MacDonald’s tale, Mossy and Tangle set out on a journey through an enchanted forest. The kind of forest where even the trees seem to whisper secrets. As Mossy and Tangle “walked away into the depth of the forest” with a golden key in hand, so too do patients wander the maze of modern healthcare clutching their own fragile keys… Test results, referrals, or simply hope. Healthcare’s corridors and waiting rooms can feel like a misty woodland: time slows, paths twist, and the light of certainty is dim. Yet, as in MacDonald’s story, waiting itself can offer unexpected gifts if we tend it carefully.

Wandering the Forest of Care

Mossy once lay on a mossy bank, staring at the light. It was only in that stillness that sunlight revealed the golden key he needed. Patients, too, often find themselves lying on a figurative mossy bed, waiting for clarity. And that wait can be long. Prolonged waits are not benign. A recent review of patients awaiting surgical and transplant care found that extended delays worsened anxiety, depression, and quality of life (Gagliardi et al., 2021). Primary care studies echo this: as wait times increase, satisfaction drops (Alruwaili et al., 2021). In short, the deeper the delay, the darker the woods.

Yet even here, the forest offers clues. Many patients report that what they crave most during long waits is not speed, but communication (updates, acknowledgement, and reassurance). As Gagliardi and colleagues noted, patients want to understand their place in the system, even if the news isn’t good (2021). A nurse navigator saying, “You’re number seven on the list, about six months out,” can offer more comfort than silence ever could.

Lost Paths and Dark Shadows

Delays are not the only shadows in the woods. Referrals misfire, test results go missing, and care coordination falters. In one study, over 60% of primary care physicians were dissatisfied with the referral process; many specialists received no information before a consult, and primary care doctors often waited weeks for responses (Forrest et al., 2000). These gaps are not just frustrating; they are dangerous. The ECRI Institute (2020) identified referral delays and poor communication as significant contributors to diagnostic errors. In their analysis, 9% of reported diagnostic errors occurred during the referral phase. A missed consult can mean a missed cancer, an untreated infection, a worsening illness.

Uncertainty adds its own fog. Though clinicians may hesitate to share diagnostic ambiguity, patients often prefer transparency. In one study, participants said they valued hearing about diagnostic uncertainty… even if it made them anxious (Feldman et al., 2017). Being honest about what we don’t yet know can reduce fear more than false reassurance ever could.

Lanterns in the Dark: Connection in Care

Even in a confusing forest, light breaks through. And the brightest light, research suggests, is human connection. A 2024 study in JAMA Network Open found that patients of highly empathic physicians had better outcomes, including reduced pain and disability and improved quality of life (Darnall et al., 2024). This is more than feel-good theory. Another review summarized that physician empathy consistently improves both patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes (Riess, 2017). The way a provider listens (the tone, the pause, the look in the eye) can mean more to a patient than the latest prescription.

And it’s not just doctors. A supportive friend, a caring nurse, or a helpful office assistant can act as companions in the woods. Gagliardi et al. (2021) found that peer support and simple updates were among the most valued forms of comfort during health-related delays. These small gestures whisper: “You’re not alone. You’re still seen.”

Empathy, honesty, and presence become our forest lanterns. They don’t end the wait, but they make the shadows bearable.

Invitation to Reflection

Healthcare, like MacDonald’s forest, is filled with mystery. But it also teaches. In the hush of delay, patients and caregivers can grow—not always in comfort, but in capacity. A quiet moment between referrals might teach patience. A week waiting on results might sharpen one’s sense of purpose. Even the hardest parts of illness and delay can shape us, if we let them.

At Storyline, we walk that forest with you. Not to rush the path, but to walk it well. In Part II, we’ll explore how narrative-based support helps light the way forward. For now, may the quiet of this moment be a place where something steady begins to grow.

References

Alruwaili, A., Alsharari, A., Alrashidi, R., & Alkathami, M. (2021). Patient satisfaction and waiting time in primary health care centers: A cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 10(4), 1568–1573. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1940_20

Darnall, B. D., Sturgeon, J. A., Stinson, J., Kao, M. C. J., & Mackey, S. (2024). Association of physician empathy with outcomes for patients with chronic pain. JAMA Network Open, 7(1), e2339461. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.39461

ECRI Institute. (2020). Top 10 patient safety concerns 2020. https://www.ecri.org/components/PSRQ/Pages/Top10-2020.aspx

Feldman, M. D., Johansen, M. L., & Frankel, R. M. (2017). Communication of uncertainty in primary care: A survey of clinician behaviors and attitudes. Medical Decision Making, 37(6), 716–726. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272989X17692975

Forrest, C. B., Glade, G. B., Baker, A. E., Bocian, A., Kang, M., & Starfield, B. (2000). Coordination of specialty referrals and physician satisfaction with referral care. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 154(5), 499–506. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.154.5.499

Gagliardi, A. R., Dunn, S., Grace, S. L., Stewart, D. E., & Zwarenstein, M. (2021). Patients’ experiences with wait times in health care: A scoping review. BMC Health Services Research, 21, 1113. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-07165-1

Riess, H. (2017). The science of empathy. Journal of Patient Experience, 4(2), 74–77. https://doi.org/10.1177/2374373517699267