Three ways to improve outcomes through patient education
Many patients experience anxiety when they face recovery from an accident or significant illness. Some have a fear of the unknown, or of the potential pain and difficulty associated with treatment. Others feel intimidated by the financial logistics, insurance frustrations and time involved in getting back on their feet.
These negative feelings can make a patient feel exhausted or defeated before they even begin.
This not only slows them down, but can hurt your ability to help them progress as efficiently as possible.
A great way to overcome this kind of situation is by providing your patients with educational materials about their condition and recovery. This can include something as simple as a welcome email, injury specific articles, an encouraging note about their treatment plan, or clear instructions for things they can do to help their recovery along at home – just to name a few.
Here’s what educating your patients can help accomplish:
- It establishes a relationship of respect. Equipping patients with information shows them that you care enough to take the time to engage and include them. This personalizes and humanizes their treatment, and when people feel seen and cared about, it establishes a relationship of respect with their provider. A positive relationship can go a long way toward compliance with treatment plans and overall outcomes.
- It encourages active participation in healthcare protocols. Providing educational materials that illustrate a patient’s illness or injury can take the mystery out of their medical condition. This helps alleviate feelings of stress and replaces that apprehension with empowerment. Empowered patients feel more enthusiasm to be active participants in their recovery, making them more likely to follow the protocol you create for them during their appointments and at home.
- It leads directly to better health outcomes. An equipped, empowered and motivated patient is much more likely to experience great health outcomes than one who feels anxious, overwhelmed or dismissed by their provider. Feeling positive helps patients communicate more effectively with their provider and put more energy into their treatment, speeding up their healing time and the likelihood of a great outcome.
Education creates a safe space for patients.
When a provider takes the time to educate a patient, it can help the patient have more faith in the process and motivate them to be more involved in their care plan. Education helps create a safe place for patients to take ownership of their treatment and overcome their injury, and is another great way to deliver value as a provider of excellence.
Did you know you can add custom education pieces in Keet? Just another way we’re reimagining recovery.