4 Key Points Caregivers & Patients Must Know about Patient Care

4 Key Points Caregivers & Patients Must Know about Patient Care Here are some important aspects the patients and their caregivers must know about patient care. This is vital for a better overall experience.

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As a medical transcription company serving physicians belonging to diverse medical specialties, we know that for most doctors maintaining a good relationship with their patients is the most fulfilling part of their job. The doctor’s and patient's values and perspectives about disease, life, and time available play a role in building up this relationship.

According to a study published in the journal Health Services Research, the relationship between a physician and his/her patients is the key to good patient engagement. The research also found that there were three factors that had a huge impact on a patient’s engagement levels, which are: •

Quality of the patient-physician relationship, especially the communication between patients and physicians in the office

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The respect and fair treatment patients felt they received

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Frequency of patient-physician communication outside of the office

The importance of communication in healthcare has long been recognized within medical education as a foundation of good care, especially an open and honest discussion with patients who are dying or in critical times. Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of patients with life-threatening illnesses. A hospice or palliative medicine physician helps to minimize the suffering of patients who are in a critical state. The duty of a hospice or palliative medicine physician becomes intense when time is short, and when life-support equipment and data seem to be gaining control. However, providers, patients and their caregivers can improve the experience by having constructive conversations.

BJ Miller, a hospice and palliative medicine physician shares (edition.cnn.com) 4 important recommendations that any physician in his position could make to his/her patients and caregivers.

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Do not wait for your doctors to recommend hospice: Studies show that the closer doctors are to their patients, the more passionately they miscalculate their prognosis. Doctors tend to wait too long to acknowledge that their patient may die. In the United States, the average length of stay in hospice care is 24 days, which is too short. It is important that physicians recommend hospice care sooner to their patients.

Patients living with worsening chronic illnesses and their

caregivers need to communicate honestly with physicians about their need or preference for hospice care. In an effort to extend physical life, the psychological, spiritual and financial aspects are often ignored. Patients who prefer care that

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focuses on their comfort rather than any kind of aggressive care must be allowed to choose that.

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Understand that palliative care is not for dying patients only: Often, palliative care physicians may be persuaded by other providers or clinical staff to believe that the patient is not yet ready for palliative care. This happens when such clinicians believe that the patient is not dying, or the patient does not realize that he/she is dying. There shouldn’t be confusion between hospice or end-of-life care and palliative care. The latter is an approach that focuses on lightening the patient’s suffering in the context of a serious illness. Patients who are sick and suffering also qualify for palliative care, not just those patients who are dying.

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Laugh more and enjoy life: If you have a chronic illness then it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t laugh or have fun. A serious disease may alienate people and they tend to become moody and depressed. Caregivers may become more restricted in their behavior and become solemn in an effort to show they care for the patient’s feelings. However, this may have a negative impact on the sick person and create the feeling of another loss. So, it is best for patients as well caregivers to enjoy life, laugh more often and lighten the atmosphere.

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Patients can be left alone in their room sometimes: It is OK for caregivers to occasionally leave the patient in the room alone. This is more like giving them privacy. Often, caregivers stay on in the room, without leaving the patient’s side.

However, hospice workers say that this could get in the way of the dying person’s final step and the final moment may have to happen alone. A person who is dying needs to be reassured that his/her loved ones are going to be fine even after they leave. This can be done by leaving the room when you have to do so.

It is the responsibility of doctors to understand their patients’ illness and help them deal with the situation. Physicians utilize medical transcription services to ensure timely and accurate documentation that is so important with regard to patient care. Hospitals are now greatly investing in the latest technology and initiatives to improve patient care and minimize the risk of dying. At the same time, focus must also be on providing patients with the right type of care they need and desire.

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