Focus on Patient Care
Remember: Patients are always priority.
Picker's Eight Principles of Patient-Centered Care
1. Respect patients’ values, preferences, and expressed needs.
2. Coordinate and integrate care.
3. Provide information and education.
4. Attend to physical comfort.
5. Provide emotional support and alleviate fear.
6. Involve family and friends.
7. Ensure continuity and smooth transitions.
8. Provide access to care.
Challenges of Patient-Centered Care
Time constraints: Limited appointment times make it difficult to fully engage with patients.
Cultural sensitivity:
Diverse patient backgrounds require culturally sensitive care, which may require additional training.
Patient expectations:
Managing high or unrealistic patient expectations can be time-consuming and emotionally taxing for providers.
Provider burnout:
Emphasizing empathy and patient-centered care can lead to burnout if not properly managed.
Benefits of Patient-Centered Care
Enhanced patient satisfaction: Patients feel more involved in their care decisions, leading to better compliance and satisfaction.
Increased efficiency:
Effective communication and coordination reduce misunderstandings and duplications in care, saving time and resources.
Empowered patients:
Active participation in healthcare leads to better self-care and health outcomes.
Cost savings:
Reduced medical errors, unnecessary tests, and chronic condition management lead to long-term savings.
Tips for Providing Patient-Centered Care
Respect patient preferences:
Personalize treatment based on patient values and beliefs.
Involve patients in decisions:
Actively engage patients in medical decision-making.
Use effective time management:
Streamline scheduling and work processes to spend more time with patients.
Utilize EHR solutions:
Access patient records and facilitate better care coordination.
Key Takeaways
Patients should be involved in decision-making about their care.
Care should be coordinated and integrated to avoid confusion and frustration.
Patients should be kept informed about their condition and prognosis.
Patients should be comfortable physically and emotionally.
Patients’ family and friends should be involved in their care.
Patients should be prepared for discharge and have access to ongoing care.
Patients should have timely access to the care they need.
