HealthCare ADVISOR

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Doctor-Patient relationshiPs

Since the earliest days of medicine, practitioners have recognized the importance of the relationship between doctors and patients. Even so, health care is a top-down experience for most patients. We view doctors as authority figures who make all the decisions about our treatment, and today the constraints of insurance companies seem to narrow our choices even further. It’s no wonder patients sometimes feel like they don’t have much say in their own health care.

Are you ready for the good news? That culture is slowly changing, as evidence continues to mount that a heightened emphasis on patient-centered care provides better results for the whole team: patients, their families, and health care providers.

These changes have a special impact for women when they visit their Ob/Gyn practitioners.

“Establishing a relationship with a patient is probably just as important as addressing their medical problems,” says Dr. Julie

Vu of Brothers & Crochet Ob/Gyn Associates of Dallas, LLP. “Especially in obstetrics, you end up having a very long term and personal relationship with your patients. You know the names of their family members, and their child, and you may know the sex of their child when no one else does.”

The new thinking blends the clinical side of medicine – lab results, statistics and machines – with greater attention to the patient’s experience. The impersonal nature of technology makes a connection to the physician more important than ever. The patient’s experience begins in the reception room. If the space feels unwelcoming, it can add unnecessary stress to the visit.

“We strive to provide a courteous relationship and a relaxing environment, where people will feel comfortable talking about difficult issues,” Dr. Vu says. This applies whether she is working with an expectant mother or a well-woman exam. “Often women have read a lot about childbirth, and have very specific wishes,”

Dr. Vu says. “We try hard to let them have the kind of delivery they would like, while keeping their expectations realistic.” Trust and communication help increase satisfaction with the outcome for the patient.

When care is patient-centered, doctors ensure patients have all the information they need about their options. As technology

Picker Institute Principles of Patient-Centered Care

• Respect for patients’ values, preferences and expressed needs

• Coordination and integration of care

• Information, communication and education

• Physical comfort

• Emotional support and alleviation of fear and anxiety

• Involvement of family and friends

• Transition and continuity advances, there is often more than one good choice. This means patients also have more responsibility in the partnership. Their priorities and their lifestyle choices (like nutrition or sleep habits) can enhance treatment success. A good relationship with a doctor increases the likelihood that a patient will follow through on healthy behaviors. HCA