Patient Care: Better Support Is Better Treatment

Have you watched the movie Patch Adams? Patch did a study where he found out that aside from laughter (happiness), a better support system is essential for patient development.

For most patients, their initial reaction and attitude sets the tone for their road to wellness. Depending on the severity of an illness, patients often get confused about the proper way of getting better. A visit to the doctor’s office is ideal and beneficial in diagnosing these illnesses and learning how to get better or cope.

Have you watched the movie Patch Adams? Patch did a study where he found out that aside from laughter (happiness), a better support system is essential for patient development.

For most patients, their initial reaction and attitude sets the tone for their road to wellness. Depending on the severity of an illness, patients often get confused about the proper way of getting better. A visit to the doctor’s office is ideal and beneficial in diagnosing these illnesses and learning how to get better or cope.

In most waiting rooms, you’ll find reading materials–with some of them being brochures that contain descriptions and instructional care about illnesses, as well as what we now recognize as “patient support services”. Most healthcare practices are now gearing towards a proactive type of system that help patients achieve a better understanding of the type of healthcare system they need.

Shared decision aides, booklets, pamphlets, discs, and data collecting surveys, are now making their way into the frontlines of patient care. This is just one of the many ways a better patient support service is achieved.

What does this mean to me as a patient?

This particular system will help you better understand the initial actions needed to take, whether in the case of a severe situation or your basic doctor’s visit. This will also serve as a tool to a better understanding how the system can work for you as an individual. As a well-informed patient, this can create a better experience for your following checkups and visits. The system will also empower patients by allowing practitioners to create an individual plan of action for you.

How do Patient Support Services work?

The information collected in each case creates a personalized care plan for every individual, which also combines healthcare services with support for them and their families. Guidelines and tools are provided for individuals in order to aide professionals in early diagnosis and provide a more accurate type of treatment or means of prevention. All gathered data can optimize and match the best possible outcome for any case given.  

By allowing professionals to analyze the patient’s information in faster, more effective ways, professionals will be better informed of their situation and in a better position to give help.

What makes this system better?

This system deals with the entirety of the patient’s situation. Support is key and Patient Support Services starts from the beginning of your condition until the patient achieves their targeted wellness.

It also provides individual proper care and preventative measures for better health.

The overall outlook of the Patient Support Service is to keep open communication lines between patients and physicians. Many trusted websites such as the Mayo Clinic and WebMD have been participating in developing and testing this kind of system since 2005. With the proper practice and implementation of this program, the medical community will be able to expedite patient treatment. 

patient support / shutterstock