Within society, we have come to understand that greater communication can increase the quality of relationships. Whether the relationship is personal or professional, it is clear that having greater and open communication benefits everyone involved. And it is only natural that the same concept applies to the relationship between patients and physicians. This is why four undergrads entering the world of medicine decided to launch this campaign, to help build a more patient-centered model of health care delivery to improve patient outcomes.
The current experience of a patient is defined by conversing with a nurse or another medical professional, who asks them a series of questions to update the medical records. And while gathering this information is necessary, it often time takes up more time than a patient spends with a doctor.
The formulaic nature of these questions denies an opportunity for deeper engagement. How often are patients asked something that makes their physician learn something new? Maybe, a patient has started the new trendy keto diet, or has been suffering from a chronic issue and discovered a social media post of an individual suffering from a similar condition who cured themselves using holistic methods and is now considering doing the same. This is vital information for a physician to know. What is driving the behavior of a patient is crucial for a doctor to know to figure out the best care for them.
Moving forward, we need to work together to create a space that allows for more open communication between doctors and patients as well as the time. Learning just one new thing about a patient can increase their quality of care leaving both patients and doctors more satisfied. And if you’re a hospital administrator reading this, we know you are there to serve people when they are most in need and are constrained by the complexities of the healthcare system. Though based on the drumbeat from doctors and patients, the time is now to restore the time-honored tradition of the physician-patient relationship. And we are here to help. If there’s support needed to make this happen, please reach out and let us know, one thing, or many, that can help us all work together to achieve this goal.