It was in my final year of BDS, I first came across Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in Pediatric Dentistry. Later, during my Master’s in Healthcare & Hospital Management, I encountered the same theory again in Human Organizational Behavior. Seeing it in two very different fields made me realise how closely it reflects everyday life.
Psychologist Abraham Maslow introduced the theory in 1943 in his paper A Theory of Human Motivation. He described five basic levels of human needs: physiological needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.
This is where I found the theory particularly meaningful in healthcare. Treating a disease is important, but a person’s needs go beyond medication or procedures. A child may need reassurance before treatment. A patient may need safety and dignity. A healthcare professional may need recognition, belonging and a sense of purpose.
Maslow also did not suggest that people must completely satisfy one level before moving to the next. In his original work, he acknowledged that needs can exist simultaneously and to different degrees.
Perhaps that is why the theory still feels relevant. Behind every patient, student, professional or parent is a person with needs that cannot always be seen in a medical report.
Sometimes, understanding what a person needs is the first step toward understanding what they truly need from us.
Which human need do you think we overlook the most?
MBH/PS