Pt Advocacy

[Pt Advocacy]

Advocacy and patient care focused on the needs of our elderly community is largely underrepresented in current health education. In partnership with our IFH individual, we have organized several tips directed to each IFH health profession in providing patient centered care to our elderly community.


Pharmacists

• Know your regular patient’s names
  
  
• Talk to each patient about their day
  
  
• Know which drugs may be a good alternative for the patient
  
  
• She has positive experiences with pharmacists telling patients to ask physicians about specific drugs they think may be more helpful
  

Dentists

• Be patient with everyone because some may be afraid to see the Dentist
  
  
• Explain what you will be doing to the patient before you begin
  
  
• Have a conversation with them beforehand to ease their mind
  
  
• If you’re using a new tool or procedure for the first time with that patient explain what it is and how it works to them
  

Hospital Administrators

• Person in charge of insurance should be very knowledgeable of insurance dynamics
  
  
  • She had a bad experience where she was told the insurance covered the procedure but later found out it hadn’t been covered
    
• Even though you don’t directly treat patients, be kind to them in the hospital and ask them about their day
  

Physicians

• Be thoughtful and aware of your patient’s time
  
  
• When you are at work, focus on the patient, not on your personal life
  
  
• Take the time to have a conversation with the patient about their day/life
  
  
• Get to know each patient on a personal level
  

Nurses

• Taking the time to do the little things with compassion is priceless
  
  
  • Washing a patient’s face, hair, hands
    
• Know that you are just as important as the physician and even more important in terms of comfort
  
  
• Don’t be in a hurry. Ask them questions about themselves and their day.
  
  
• Treat the elderly with special care and respect
  

Veterinarians

• Listen to the pet; they will tell you if they’re comfortable or not
  
  
• Be calm and collective as animals can sense feelings
  
  
• Treat the pet like any other family member
  

Physical Therapists

• Know that you are very important to the recovery of a patient
  
  
• Be aware of every movement a patient makes even if it is not part of the exam
  
  
• Encourage patients to challenge themselves
  
  
• Good physical therapists make you feel like they care. Bad physical therapists make you feel like they are just putting in the time to get paid
  
  
• Encourage patients to do activities outside of the clinic. Even small
  activities can go a long way
  

General Advice

• Look at the chart and know the patient’s name before you see them
  
  
• Don’t overbook yourself. Direct all your attention to each patient’s appointment
  
  
• Learn to earn a patient’s trust a little at a time
  
  
• Basics: Look, listen, and be aware of how the patient is actually doing
  
  
• Explain the results of each test. Do not just tell them
  
  
• Do something to cheer the patient up if they do not get enough social interaction
  

It was important to her that, not only we knew these pieces of advice, but that our classmates and future healthcare professionals would get a chance to hear from a patient’s perspective.

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[NP 2 DPM]

An interesting thread, but is there an actual question directed to the readers? Or are you just trying to 'educate' the board? Patient advocacy is critical to patient care recovery rates, and access to all critical resources for patients and their families. I think also what's important is to educate the patient on post-procedure care, educate and educate again.

Regards.