Home Care in Newport Beach CA

This month marks the 9th annual Patient-Centered Care Awareness Month to recognize the partnership between healthcare providers, patients and family members.  Patients report feeling more positive about their care and having better outcomes when each member works together for their benefit.

What is Patient-Centered Care?

Patient-Centered Care Awareness focuses on keeping patients and their needs at the center of all treatment and care plans.  Patient-Centered care has a two pronged approach to meeting patient needs:

  1. All care is organized around the needs of the patient. Whether the patient has a simple medical need, such as basic grooming and housework needs following an extended hospital stay or a complex medical case that requires both personal care and around the clock skilled nursing, the needs of the patient establish the care routine and healthcare providers and families work together to ensure the patient is at the center.
  2. Relationships between the healthcare providers, family members and patients are based on trust, transparency and collaboration (https://planetree.org). Each member of the patient’s care team works together to establish trust with the patient and other parties. Nothing the healthcare team does is hidden from either the patient or family. Each member of the care team, including the patient, work together to ensure the patient’s physical, emotional and psychological needs are being met.

Working Together Changes Outcomes

Patient-Centered Care is not the norm in today’s healthcare system.  Generally, patient care is directed by a physician, or physicians, who manage a particular condition for a patient and recommend either therapies or medications to treat the condition. Family members then work to ensure the patient attends the necessary appointments. Family members are often left to founder on their own to find home health options that meet the needs of their loved one. Lots of things are being done, but the welfare of the patient often suffers.

Changing the paradigm to a Patient-Centered option runs counter to the traditional medicine model. Since healthcare reimbursement is driven by patient outcomes, the time to place the focus on the patient, rather than their condition has arrived. Unfortunately, many patients aren’t accustomed to speaking up for themselves, many times because no one will listen.  Patients need to take the lead in their own healthcare and make their concerns known to their healthcare providers. Doctors, therapists and nurses need to realize that the person who knows the most about their medical condition is the patient.

Home care agencies can be the leaders in this change to Patient-Centered Care.  Nurses who provide in-home care are able to build quality relationships that aren’t constrained by the walls of a clinic. Family members can get to know the patient’s care team. This enables the entire care team to work together for the benefit of the patient, rather than having the focus be on the disease or condition.

Developing a Patient-Centered Care plan is vital for the healthcare provider, patient and family members.  The best outcome occurs when everyone has a common goal.

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Newport Beach, CA or the surrounding Orange County areas, please call us at 949-535-2211.  We provide senior care services in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Woods, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo and surrounding areas of Orange County California.  Contact us today to learn more.

 

Source
https://planetree.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/2015-PCCAM-Press-Release-8.20.15.pdf