Involving Patients in Treatment Decisions Could Ensure Better Health Outcomes

Developments in the health sector such as patient involvement in care are of vital import

Involving Patients in Treatment Decisions Could Ensure Better Health Outcomes

for patients, providers, and medical transcription services.

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Developments in the healthcare sector are of vital significance for patients, healthcare providers and their partners such as medical transcription service providers. The Affordable Care Act is considered a landmark in the healthcare field though some have reservations regarding the same. There are discourses for and against this Act, and calls to roll back this Act. The important consideration amidst all this should be, can any healthcare law by itself actually improve healthcare outcomes? Various studies are being done in this regard, which show that Obamacare definitely improved people’s access to healthcare but its role in improving health outcomes is not very clear. People have improved access to health insurance, primary care and routine check-ups.

There is no doubt that patients will utilize the opportunity to enjoy expanded healthcare coverage. However, health statisticians say that medical care determines only around 11 percent of one’s health. The more significant determinants are personal circumstances, individual behavior, and genetics.

Providers must support patients to be actively involved in their own care, treatment and support. This will ensure improved outcomes and experience for patients. Ultimately this will provide efficiency savings for the healthcare system through personalized services and supporting people to stay well and manage their own conditions better. Patients must be encouraged to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to more effectively manage and make informed decisions about their own health and care. Such patient engagement programs should be coordinated and tailored to the needs of each individual, and healthcare providers must work collaboratively with people who use the services.

When patients are made active participants in a shared decision-making process, they will have a more realistic perception of the possible effects of treatments provided.

Moreover, such treatment choices would be in tune with their preferences and attitudes towards risk. More importantly, actively engaged patients are more likely to adhere to treatment recommendations and less likely to go for expensive procedures. Providers can get patients involved in their care in the following ways: •

Ask them clearly whether they want to be involved in their own care and adapt the provider’s decision-making style accordingly.

•

Not focusing on patients’ initial inclinations, and actively encouraging them to get involved in their care because it is good for them to do so.

The patient’s inclination to participate in his/her own healthcare may be influenced by various factors including age, education, ethnic origin, severity of the disease and so on.

You may find some patients being quite passive but this is because they may not have

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been encouraged to play an active role ever before. Other patients may be of the opinion that the doctor knows best. In such cases, the provider will have to take extra effort to convince the patient.

Providers keen to involve patients in their care plan must provide appropriate information to the patients, including their condition, treatment options, outcomes, and uncertainties. For this the physician should be highly knowledgeable and have all the medical facts ready to be shared, must be skilled in communicating effectively, and also ensure that the patient has understood the information and can assess its implications.

In this digital era with EHRs and patient portals, many patients wish to be actively involved in all decisions that affect them. However, there still exist huge gaps between patients’ desire for involvement and their actual experiences because physicians often do not consider the preferences or values of patients. For instance, patients would definitely like more information about their medication side effects. Or they would prefer to have more involvement in choosing their medication.

There is no consensus as regards when and to what extent patients should be encouraged to participate in their treatment decisions.

Some who support shared decision-making think that it should be restricted to those decisions where it is generally agreed that the patient’s values should be the guiding factor. Some examples include choice of contraceptive method, drug therapy, and hormone replacement therapy to address menopausal symptoms among others. When two or more treatment alternatives exist, shared decision making may be the best choice.

Some people are of the opinion that physicians should provide patients with the complete information in all cases involving significant risk even when there is only a single treatment option. Physicians should not make the choice for the patient. They should educate the patient on the risk and possible outcomes of the procedure, and help patients make an informed decision for themselves.

It is true that although the treatment provided to patients is important, changing patient behavior is also vital to ensure better health outcomes. Physicians should listen to what patients have to say, give importance to their preferences, and provide patients with the information they want in a way they can understand. They should respect patients’ right to take treatment decisions along with their doctor. Physicians can help patients evaluate the alternatives and decide on the most appropriate treatment plan. Today, patient portals are used to coordinate care and educate patients. Better outcomes are ensured

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when patients are able to access their healthcare information easily, and co-manage their condition with the physician.

www.medicaltranscriptionservicecompany.com

(800) 670 2809