This past week,
I dealt with a number of people who are coping with a wide array of chronic and
acute health care issues. Unfortunately, I witnessed a variety of ways patient
care was compromised -understaffing; vital
information not entered into a chart; a patient falling because the alarm
buzzer hadn’t been set on their bed and so forth. When I discussed this with my
sister, who has been a nurse for well over 35 years, she said, “It’s always
been like this. ” Other people I talked to agreed with her and made comments
along the same line, often shrugging their shoulders, telling their own horror
stories, and saying, “So what’s new?" What can you do?”
At this
juncture, complacency isn’t an option, particularly with the aging population
and the arrival of Obama care. It’s time we each do what we can do to make this
better. Making a change in one area can create a whole new way of thinking and
doing.
On New Year’s
Day, I sent an e-mail to colleagues and friends detailing some of what I had
witnessed and posing a challenge-to implement a demonstration project that
would improve care that can be replicated for nominal costs. This has created some very interesting
dialogue and good suggestions. As a result, this is Part I of a four part
series where I will be posting five suggestions each, for family/friends,
patients, communities and hospitals, which they can do to improve health outcomes
for patients.
My goal is to
identify straight forward approaches that have minimal or no costs associated
with them, are effective based on research and/or from those with extensive
experience working in the field, and can be easily implemented in a variety of
settings.
Please post your
comments, suggestions and relevant resources below, or e-mail them to me at margoc@tds.net At the completion of the
series, the posts, along with additional comments and suggestions, will be
formatted into a simple PDF handout, which will be available by e-mailing
margoc@tds.net
Five Things
Family/Friends Can do to Create Positive Health Outcomes for Patients
Your relationship with the patient, how close you live to them, as well as the
nature of their condition, will determine the full measure of what you can
realistically do. However, whether you are a caregiver, or a distant
neighbor, everyone can do
something, even if it’s just sending e-mails or notes of support.
1. Respond. How to Respond When You Learn that Someone is Ill or Injured is one of the most frequently downloaded items on this blog. It’s clear that
many want to help but don’t know how. Read this post to learn simple ways you can provide support regardless of where you live or
who the patient might be.
2. Learn to
be an effective advocate.
When a person is compromised by age, a variety of chronic conditions,
critically ill, and/or has been
newly diagnosed with a very serious condition, they need help. Even on a good
day, people only retain a portion of what transpires in a medical office visit,
so if you’re very sick or compromised in some way, you may have no clue what
the provider is telling you. Research shows that taking a advocate to
appointments results in better visits and ultimately better patient care.
Become a “Friend with a Pen.” Go to medical appointments, as well as visits with case managers, social
service agencies and other places where they receive either medical care or
social services support. Take notes, speaking up when the patient is unable to
do so and with their approval when possible.
Stay with them
in the hospital, helping them obtain the care they have specified and need.
Further reading
on this topic:
• Hospitalized:
A Three part series to help patients get better care when hospitalized
3. Help them
navigate the health and social service systems. Using the “Getting What You Need: Checklist" understand what the person might need and know what is available locally. This
handout includes information on the following:
- Resource numbers/websites-Among the
resources are connecting with the local chapters of condition specific
organizations, such as the American Cancer Society. These groups will often
have advocates and case managers that can make this process a lot easier. They
can also provide easy to understand information about the condition, treatment
plans etc.
- Building and organizing support
networks-Don’t go it alone.
- Legal issues
- Health Insurance and paying for health
care/medications/non medical needs
- Benefits-disability, supplemental,
worker’s compensation
- Life settlements, viaticals, reverse
mortgages
- End of life care
- Work-disability, vocational
rehabilitation
- Maintaining a personal health notebook
- Case management
- Decision making
4. Encourage
them to be an effective/empowered patient: While there are times that family/friends need to take the
lead, in general patients are their own best advocate. Since 99% of chronic
care takes place outside of a medical facility, it is important that the
patient recognize that they are in charge of their own care. Besides, research
shows that more involved patients do better. You can help them in taking
responsibility for their care by:
- Role modeling advocacy skills
- Letting them take the lead and only stepping
in when they need help or are unable to speak for themselves.
- Helping them set goals about what they
want for themselves as far as healthy outcomes, treatments etc. This can be
done in a number of ways- having them outline areas of concern prior to medical
appointments; framing questions and concerns in ways that are more likely to
get a response; identifying underlying and root issues to problems; completing
legal documents, such as advanced directives; keeping a personal health
notebook
- Accepting what they tell you
- Encouraging them to learn more about
their condition, joining a support group etc.
Keep in mind
that regardless of how helpful you want to be, it’s their life. You
may not agree with what they are choosing to do, but it’s ultimately their
choice to do what they believe is right for them.
Note that if the
patient is capable of doing things on their own, and you do it instead,
regardless of reason (they take to long; they may not do it right) you under
mind their ability to do things on their own.
Where is the "Hospitalized: Three Part series to better care?" There is not a link, and I don't see a search field for the blog. Thanks for all the information!
ReplyDeleteHere are the links:
ReplyDelete:Hospitalized: What Family and Friends Can do http://healingwhole.blogspot.com/2009/11/hospitalized-what-family-and-friends.html
Hospitalized: Take 2 http://healingwhole.blogspot.com/2009/11/hospitalized-take-2.html
Hospitalized 3: Consumer Reports Study http://healingwhole.blogspot.com/2009/11/hospitalized-3-consumer-reports-study.html