Our patients are our allies in the pursuit of health and wellness. This is no longer a euphemism. We have seen the onset of the new age….patient-centric medicine, the medical home, open access to information, even patient participation in medical meetings.
The twitter health care social media hashtag, use it to be heard.
Today, courtesy of Medpage Today, The American College of Cardiology broadcast a live webinar on heart disease. The premise of the course was that, Patients who "see” their diseased arteries are more likely to lose weight and follow other ’heart-healthy’ advice. Graphic visualizations and angiography demonstrate changes from atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia. The topics included Late Breaking News from Clinical Trials of Stem Cells. (Texas Heart Institute), and analysis of Coronary Artery Calcium focused on patient compliance for achieving weight loss. Other topics included
The most successful physicians are the ones that accommodate those patients who are interested in bringing information to their visits. Most of our patients are curious about their health and how we practice our art. Even if we are rushed for time it pays to receive their information openly and consider it for a patient by telling them you will need time to review the information and then respond with an answer. This does not have to occur during the visit. This positive reaffirmation to a patient that their material will be reviewed is a powerful tool for patient awareness and compliance with anticipated treatments. Furthermore it builds confidence and expands the informed consent process for treatment protocols and/or surgical procedures. The additional resources of references from the internet, library reference sources, and prepared brochures on commonly seen diseases should be made available for your patients.
Email attachments or twitter links sent to a patient can deliver the message when they arrive home or on the next day, saving office time, your time and staff time.
No comments:
Post a Comment