Benefits of Patient Education and Strategies for its Success

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     2020 will go down in history as the year of healthcare consumables due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With innovations in technology rising in the healthcare sector, there’s a steep rise in healthcare expectations as far as patient education is concerned. Patients these days want to control their health without much physical contact with the outside world, and focused patient education is becoming a key differentiator and critical aspect in the healthcare industry.

 

Increased Focus on Educating Patients

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     When patients receive education about their health condition, they tend to be more alert about their overall lifestyle. Patients who are aware of their health status can improve their health outcomes, which gives them the confidence to manage their health independently, with little help from physicians.

 

     Trium, by Alana Healthcare, is a unique combination of a licensed healthcare professional acting as a personal health coach and medical devices/tools. By connecting patients’ daily markers with one of Trium’s qualified health coaches, the patient becomes a better-educated manager of their health. It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

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Benefits of Patient Education:

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• Patients who receive education about their health status understand why certain medications are crucial to recovery. Such patients are less likely to abandon their prescriptions required to improve their health and have improved their health condition faster than an uneducated patient.

• They tend to follow-up regularly with their physicians/clinicians with treatment plans to better understand the disease/illness.

• Patients educated about their health condition are more satisfied with providers and the overall healthcare provided to them.

• Educational plans for patients can reduce the provider’s accountability.

• Reduction in overall healthcare costs for patients when they stick to treatment plans. 

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     Educating patients about their health condition is an essential step in nursing care. However, a successful healthcare outcome depends on the quality of support and education a patient receives from physicians and their involvement in taking control of their health. Here are five strategies that will help in successfully educating patients:

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1. Patient Learning Style - Every person has his or her style of learning. Some learn by watching videos while others by reading. Patients will willingly learn about their health condition when the approach to teaching is aligned with their preferences. A hands-on approach per their choice where the patient gets to perform a medical procedure independently and with a physician’s/health coach’s guidance is often the best education method.

2. Take a patient’s limitations and strengths into account - Patient’s ability to learn and understand their health condition also depends on their physical, mental, and emotional impairments. For instance, some patients may require learning materials in large prints, while others may require audio due to visual disability. No matter which route the physicians take to educate patients, it is crucial that patients explain what they learned. Most patients say “yes” to get over with it, and they may not have exactly understood the teachings, which will not give the desired health outcome. Also, physicians need to consider factors such as the shock of learning about a critical diagnosis while educating patients.

3.  A partnership between physician and patient - For patient education to have positive health outcomes, physicians need to inform patients how to achieve good health and wellness. On the other hand, patients have to act responsibly on their physicians’ information provided to them. Working hand in hand is most likely to bring about the desired health outcome.

4. Involve family members of patients - Involving the patient’s family members in education improves the physician’s instructions being followed by the patient. In many cases, the physician will pass the instructions to the patient’s family members as they play a critical role in managing their health. It can help the patient find their strength to get involved in improving their health.

5. Technology - Thanks to technology, patient educational resources are easily accessible online that can be customized and printed out for patients at the touch of a button. However, the material needs to be personalized per the patient’s condition with proper instructions. Some resources are also available in various languages, making it easier for patients to connect and understand.

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     No matter the method of teaching, patient education needs to be comprehensive and easily understood. Teaching patients and their families can be one of the most challenging yet rewarding elements of providing care.

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     Trium allows patients to be informed and engaged in the management of their health. The clinical staff, 24/7 triage team, and digital platform are available to provide patients with the tools, guidance, and encouragement they need. A personal health coach and disease-specific education program focused on allowing them to understand their health better and be better equipped to manage it. 

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     For more information about Trium, call (877) 640-9795.