Finn had been staring at spreadsheets for hours with nothing to show for it. He tried analyzing session length for patients. There were wide ranges of outcomes for patients depending on session length. Some saw temporary benefit from short treatment sessions. Others responded better to longer sessions. However, most did not seem to see long-term improvement in their condition. For both groups, the treatment was like a band-aid on a severe wound.
Then, he looked at treatment intensity. He hit a familiar wall. Inconsistent results. But as he scrolled through the data, something bothered him. The patients were all receiving low-intensity neurofeedback treatment.
Finn was puzzled. Why wasn't there any data for higher-intensity treatment? He saved his work and headed to Elena's office. "Quick question about the treatment protocols," he said, knocking on her open door. "Why don't we have any patients doing higher-intensity sessions?”
Elena looked up from her computer. "Because we already know that doesn't work. The previous research team tested that approach extensively."
"What happened?"
Elena pulled up a file on her computer. "Disaster. Ninety-five percent dropout rate. Patients complained of increased anxiety, worsening symptoms. It was marked as the least effective protocol."
Finn studied the numbers on her screen. "What about the five percent who didn't drop out?"
"It was only two patients," Elena said, scrolling down. "But the study was terminated before we could gather meaningful data from them."
"Terminated when?" Finn inquired.
"After six weeks. The committee couldn't justify continuing with such poor results." Elena paused, looking at the timeline. "Actually, these two patients had just started showing improvement in the final two weeks. Slight reduction in all symptoms. Improved sleep patterns, reduced anxiety, pain reduction?—"
“What if this is the answer?” Finn asked, looking directly at Elena.
She looked back. “Finn, it was a slight improvement in two patients.Two.”
“But what if it was just the beginning?” he asked again. “What if they would have kept improving?”
“That protocol resulted in a 95% dropout rate. It would be ridiculous to gamble on those odds.”
He looked at her with a determination she hadn’t seen in him before. “Those two stuck with it when everyone else quit. Both of them started improving after the worst had passed. That can't be a coincidence.”
Elena stood up and paced around heroffice. “Do you realize what you're asking? If we commit to this protocol, it's at least two months before we know if we're right. And we don’t exactly have all the time in the world.”
“Nothing else is working, Elena.” The words came out sharper than intended. Then he said more softly, “Those two people pushed through when the others didn’t. And then we gave up on them, anyway. What if they were trying to tell us something?”
Finn watched Elena as she considered. She looked at the computer screen. Then back at him. He remained still as she searched his face. Finn wondered what she could see. If she could see how important this was to him. If she could see how desperate he was for this to work.
“If we do this and it fails, we’ve killed the entire program.”
“If we don’t try and keep getting mediocre results, it gets killed anyway,” Finn said, and he knew it by the look on her face. He had her.
Chapter Seven
ELENA
Elena stood in the doorway of the lab, watching Finn hunched over his workstation. She took a deep breath, mentally rehearsing her approach. The team meeting was in an hour, and she needed Finn there. A week had passed since Finn had convinced her to try the treatment with the abysmal dropout rate. She went back and forth in her head about it every day. But something about Finn's certainty had been contagious. Now, she just needed that same conviction to face the senior staff.
She stepped into the lab, letting the door shut behind her. Finn didn't look up, his attention fixed on the screen in front of him. Elena cleared her throat. "I need you to come to the team meeting today," she said, trying to keep her tone casual. "You helped develop this new protocol. You should be there to present it with me."
Finn frowned and looked up. "I’m not sure that’s appropriate. It’s your project?—"
"That you have been working above and beyond on," Elena interrupted, moving closer to his desk. "You know it as well as I do, and you deserve to be there."
“I’d rather keep working.”
Elena paused, then played her ace. "I'm your supervisor, and I'm asking you to be there."
The silence between them felt charged. Finn held her gaze for a long moment. "Fine.”
Elena exhaled, relief washing through her. The reasons she gave him were true, but only part of the truth. The real reason was that she needed backup. Paul Thompson would have legitimate concerns about their new approach. A protocol with a 95% dropout rate? She'd face tough questions, and rightfully so. But Finn’s conviction on this new approach helped sway her. Maybe that confidence would help today. "Thank you," she said, meaning it.
