I Don’t Know What to Do Next

Posted on June 21, 2022

Physicians want their patients to do well and to get better. Yet they have less time `to spend with patients. Anything that will help foster effective use of the time a physician has with a patient, provides a distinct advantage to the (patient/physician) relationship. It’s all about effective communication. Gone are the days when an office visit lasted as long as it needed to. Patient visits are now more like an assembly line than a face-to-face, “tell me what’s ailing you,” encounter.

Physicians want their patients to do well and to get better. Yet they have less time to spend with patients (see eBook: You Know You Need a Patient Advocate When . . . www.patientadvocatesofswfl.com). Anything that will help foster effective use of the time a physician has with a patient, provides a distinct advantage to the (patient/physician) relationship.

It’s all about effective communication. At a time when our healthcare system is often described as a mess, gone are the days when an office visit lasted as long as it needed to. Patient visits are now more like an assembly line than a face-to-face, “tell me what’s ailing you,” encounter.

For those of us who are healthy, a quick 15-or 30-minute visit, of which the doctor may spend less than have of that time in your presence works just fine. It becomes more of a challenge for those of us diagnosed with at least 1 or more chronic medical conditions, (51.8 per cent according to data from the 2018 NHIS).

Types of medical conditions classified as chronic (persisting for a long time or constantly recurring include: arthritis, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, current asthma, diabetes, hepatitis, hypertension, stroke, and weak or failing kidneys.[i]

Giving this information a few minutes to sink in . . . the need for effective communication when there are many (patient’s) to be seen by physicians who barely have time to make ask a few questions or make eye contact. Advocacy (someone who is organized, assertive, calm and comfortable asking questions), in one form or another is essential.

As patients, a good number of us are empowered, able to navigate, self-advocate, and on behalf and those who are important to us – spouse, child, parent and others. What this entails is the awareness of:

· needing to understand what the problem (diagnosis) is,

· what treatment is being recommended, and

· why that particular treatment is the best for the patient.

When we are fortunate enough to have a physician relationship where trust has been established, there is honesty and collaboration.

Consider what happens when a relationship of trust does not exist between patient and physician, particularly when there a negative change in health status. These are the instances when a self-advocating patient or a family member advocate becomes overwhelmed, begins to struggle and becomes uncertain.

This is most often the pivot point. As the physician explains the likely course of the disease or ailment, options and plan-of-care moving forward, you become off-course and fearful. “I don’t know what to do next.” Confidence in the ability to advocate - to determine next and best steps for your (his, her, even their wellbeing) . . . is shaken by doubt . . . or lost.

This is the time to consider utilizing the skills, services and expertise of a professional patient advocate. A BCPA (board certified professional advocate) reenergizes empowerment of the client (patient or family) to help set the agenda by providing background knowledge of the healthcare system, providing awareness of options, then regaining confidence in voicing their care goals and choices.

Along with my colleagues throughout the country. I am in practice to work with a patient or a family, on behalf of the individual, without influence or barriers in terms of achieving best outcomes. Present at the point of care to assure individual needs of the patient, the professional advocate is able to bridge (navigate) in a manner that best meets the patient’s individual needs, by understanding where they are, and what they see is good.

While nurses and care providers have an agenda for multiple patients, the patient advocate has 1 agenda – the patient and his/her well-being. We know the system. We know what deterioration and what improvement looks like.

Easing the burden for patients as they navigate the healthcare system, I advocate for my clients to make sure the patient is getting the best care, appropriate testing and treatment. When necessary, making sure the patient gets to the next level of care (specialists) with the same degree of confidence.

Questions about your circumstance or situation . . . visit: Home - Patient Advocates of SW Florida (www.patientadcovatesofswfl.com) to schedule a complementary 30 -minute consultation.