It was the first time the young woman had come to the health center in a suburb just north of Chicago. When the 26-year-old walked into the exam room back in 2008, there was no paper chart or electronic health record (EHR) accompanying her, no background information, nothing to indicate anything but a routine annual […]
It was the first time the young woman had come to the health center in a suburb just north of Chicago. When the 26-year-old walked into the exam room back in 2008, there was no paper chart or electronic health record (EHR) accompanying her, no background information, nothing to indicate anything but a routine annual […]
Exiled in a basement reading room, radiologists work alone intently, silently at computer screens that provide the only source of light – this stereotype casts radiology as one of the least person/patient-centered medical specialties. Although there is an element of truth in that stereotype, the radiology community is working to evolve into a patient-centered practice. […]
I’ve had an opportunity recently (here and here) to write about patient safety in the context of care for transgender patients. Thinking about issues related to providing them with safe and effective care leads back to the basics of patient-centered care. Patient centeredness is hardly a new concept, but thinking about it through the eyes […]
Her usual doctor was out of town when Beth felt a lump on her right breast and under her arm. As she sat in the doctor’s office listening to a new nurse practitioner explain why she didn’t think an imaging test was necessary, Beth knew something was wrong. People in the medical profession—really anybody—can see […]
I recently interviewed a great many patients and caregivers as a part of research for the book, Participatory Healthcare: A Person-Centered Approach to Healthcare Transformation, published in August by CRC press. Through the process of interviewing the 27 individuals whose stories are represented in the book, I grew to appreciate how important it is to […]
The future success of providers hinges on an understanding that societal health is more than just about population health and that ACO players are not just hospitals, physicians and long-term care entities. Rather, employers, banks, supermarkets–in short, the community–all play a role when it comes to understanding dementia, including Alzheimer’s. Caring for family caregivers in […]
Next week begins National Caregivers Month, and new statistics from the AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving show that non-paid family caregivers are becoming a diverse group. While still predominantly baby boomer women, millennials hit the radar, making up 25 percent of family caregivers, split evenly between men and women. That’s 10 million people. Clearly, […]
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month which I think everyone knows by now. It would be difficult to forget as the world seems to be awash in pink. And for some of us, October 13 is the most important day of this month – it is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. I am a member […]
Healthcare systems are evolving with the expectation that patients and families are collaborative partners in the overall plan of care. A major focus for providers is changing patient’s behavior in order to improve access, decrease cost, prevent readmission and improve health outcomes. A significant, if underappreciated, factor in this new order is the ability for […]