Human healthcare embraces patient-centered model

What are the applications to veterinary medicine?
I have been reading a lot about patient-centered healthcare – a concept actually developed more than a decade ago, but one that has taken years to be put into practice by many healthcare providers.  As a patient myself, I am seeing bits and pieces – practitioners who are embracing the new model full speed ahead – and others – including entire institutions -- that are lagging.
For those not yet familiar with the concept of patient centered care, it means – in a nutshell – focusing on the whole being and not just the illness, full disclosure of medical information, partnering with the patient for improved outcomes and patient empowerment through information / education.  The goal, of course, is to boost partner compliance and participation in preventive care and ultimately reduce human healthcare costs and medical errors.  If you are not already familiar with this concept, you might want to read Crossing the Quality Chasm:  A New Health System for the 21st Century (available from Amazon.com.)
As a patient, here's what I am seeing among those physicians embracing the concept:

• Continuous care --  via phone and email to answer questions and make me smarter about my health.
• Access to my full medical records information via online portals.
• Information sharing through emailed articles and booklets.
• Helping the patient prepare for appointments and tests with questionnaires, checklists and other such tools.
• Individualized care in which my health concerns are discussed openly, options given and it’s made clear that decision is mine.

During the past 4-5 months, I have “fired” 3 doctors who, for whatever reasons, chose not to follows these standards.  I have been interviewing new doctors based on these principles.  What am I finding?  The docs who embrace patient-centered medicine are doing it “gung ho” – finally.  And the changes are obvious and very valuable to someone who – in my case – appreciates -- and demands -- being an active part of her healthcare decisions.
What patients want from their healthcare providers is changing – and I believe that with this will come changes in what pet owners come to expect from their veterinarians.  In any case, patient-centered care is something that all veterinary practices should take a close look at – along with applications to their own client services.  As more pets are considered part of the family, it only makes sense that their humans will come to expect human-quality care.
Stayed tuned to this blog for more on patient-centered care.

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