Caring for Patients' Psychological Well-being to Improve Healthcare Quality

Full Article in Chinese

• Master of Social Sciences in Applied Psychology
• Director of Person-Centered Outcomes Research, Fresenius Medical Care

When treating diseases and illnesses, paying more attention to patients' feelings can often yield better results with less effort. Krister Cromm, who currently holds a management position at a German dialysis equipment and services provider, has strong ties to Hong Kong. Not only did he make a significant career move here, but he also pursued a Master of Social Sciences in Applied Psychology at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK). He utilised the knowledge he gained to identify issues faced by patients and communicate with doctors, thereby promoting improvements in both medical standards and patients' quality of life.

Born and raised in Germany, Krister talked about his journey in Hong Kong. "More than ten years ago, I was hired by a large German chemical and pharmaceutical company that was expanding into the Asia-Pacific market. I immediately went to Hong Kong to work as an assistant to the managing director. In my view, this international Asian city offers a diversity that cannot be found elsewhere in the world; it has a rich local culture and is also very modern, it is a great place for career development and living."

Speaking about the opportunity to join his current company, Krister recalled that after working in Hong Kong for about four years, he realised he wanted a change in his career. He hoped to transition to a field that offered more opportunities for collaboration and directly benefiting the patients and the community. "To step out of my comfort zone and move into a professional field that emphasises improving patients' quality of life, I had to first find a suitable further education programme to gain the necessary professional knowledge and skills for the transition."

Therefore, Krister candidly stated that choosing to study for a master's degree in applied psychology at CityUHK was a well-thought-out decision and one of the best choices for him. He considered that the programme is recognised worldwide, and the design and flexible class schedules accommodated working professionals like him. He ultimately decided to pursue the master's degree, which further facilitated his move to his current company, realising his ideal of better caring for patients' feelings.

"CityUHK professors encouraged students to fully develop their potential. Given my exposure to many patients in my work, with the support of my course instructor, Dr Julian Lai, I had the opportunity to undertake a valuable clinical research project and invite real patients to fill out questionnaires." Krister mentioned that Dr Lai also encouraged him to actively participate in international conferences, including attending the Conference in Guangzhou, the ISOQOL (International Society for Quality of Life Research) International Conference, and the European Health Psychology Society (EHPS) Conference. These opportunities provided more chances to interact with the needy for his research work, helping him to deeply understand patients' actual difficulties and needs through questionnaire design and other psychological techniques before making decisions at his current company. This continuous insight has allowed him to develop and launch innovative treatment solutions.

Krister not only prioritises the development of research projects that benefit patients and healthcare professionals, but he also possesses a keen interest in Chinese studies, evident through his attainment of a master's degree in the field. His interest with China's economic development further motivated him to pursue a career that could foster connections between China and Germany. To fulfill this aspiration, he embarked on a journey to learn the Chinese language and delved into all aspects associated with China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which eventually led him to enroll in a relevant master's programme. This decision proved instrumental in securing a position at a German company that was expanding into the Asia-Pacific market, enabling him to establish strong affiliations with the city.

After his graduation from CityUHK ten years ago, Krister still maintains contact with Dr Lai and other instructors and former classmates, many of whom have achieved significant accomplishments in fields such as clinical psychology. "The Alumni Relations Office is very active and helps to unite alumni, such as arranging gatherings with other alumni in Frankfurt, allowing us to connect with the University. Strengthening connections between alumni is especially critical, particularly as the university strives to establish an international environment, which is one of the aspects I greatly appreciate about CityUHK."

Looking ahead to professional development, Krister believes that his career is closely tied to improving patients' quality of life and healthcare quality. He is currently pursuing a doctoral programme at a medical university in Berlin and has published some works on enhancing the quality of life for dialysis patients through self-advocacy and social support. His future goal is to continue developing in this field, ensuring that patients can respond to quality-of-life issues via cutting-edge technology, allowing him to develop measures to provide psychological support for patients with severe chronic illnesses.

（Published at 28 November 2024）