One way to overcome the first obstacle is by remaining upbeat during your explanation of the treatment plan. When discussing the dental issues that need fixing sooner, identify and explain the health consequences of delaying treatment. Speak compassionately and empathize with the worry patients may express.
Full Answer
Why do doctors take so long to accept new treatments?
For the most part, when some new treatment is accepted by the medical profession, it has been thoroughly researched and tested. Even so, physicians often take years to accept new treatments. Physicians' cautious mindset can be a defect, as revealed by history.
What happens when patients don't understand their treatment plan?
If patients don’t understand their diagnosis, their treatment plan or how to take their medications, their visit with a physician isn’t likely to lead to recovery or better health.
How do you treat patients in a clinical setting?
Show respect and treat each person with compassion and without judgment. Determine your patient's readiness to learn. Ask your patients about their outlooks, attitudes, and motivations. Learn the patient's perspective.
Do you tell your doctor about your alternative treatments?
A number of research studies have found that one in three patients routinely use alternative treatments but seven out of 10 users of alternative therapies do not tell their physicians. Complementary treatments are used more commonly among people diagnosed with chronic or life-threatening conditions.
What to do if a patient is rushed?
If a patient is rushed, the answer will often be “no.” Make sure you take time to answer questions and carefully explain the procedure and any other options that are available. Not only does this make the patient more likely to agree, but it also firmly establishes a positive doctor / patient relationship.
How to speak about dental surgery?
Remember to speak in layman’s terms and make clear why the procedure is needed. You may also gently explain the complications that could occur if it is declined. Dental Economics magazine even suggests polishing your presentation and public speaking skills. Something as simple as word choice or body language can make a difference.
Why do dentists hesitate to give root canals?
However he or she hesitates when you mention the treatment plan. The patient gives many reasons for this reluctance— money, time, and maybe even anxiety.
Why don't patients ask questions?
Many patients, Robinson said, won’t ask questions or say they don’t understand, either because they are intimidated or worried about looking stupid. Some simply tune out or shut down, she said, and “a lot of people take things literally because of anxiety.”
Who is the founder of Health Literary Innovations?
Employers are pushing insurers to demonstrate that the materials they give patients are simple and intelligible, said Aileen Kantor, founder of Health Literary Innovations.
What is the problem with health literacy?
As recently as a decade ago, the problem of health literacy was largely the province of academic researchers who published study after study documenting the glaring mismatch between the dense, technical and jargon-heavy materials routinely given to patients, some written at the graduate school level, and their ability to understand them.
Why does an elderly woman develop a life-threatening infection?
An elderly woman sent home from the hospital develops a life-threatening infection because she doesn’t understand the warning signs listed in the discharge instructions. A man flummoxed by an intake form in a doctor’s office reflexively writes “no” to every question because he doesn’t understand what is being asked.
How many Americans understand discharge instructions?
Department of Education found that 36 percent of adults have only basic or below-basic skills for dealing with health material. This means that 90 million Americans can understand discharge instructions written only at a fifth-grade level or lower.
How can physicians communicate with patients?
One easy way physicians can more effectively communicate with patients is to de-jargon their language by using common words and phrases instead of complex medical terms and acronyms. Osteopathic medical schools across the country are recognizing this need by providing additional training in patient communication and interaction.
Why do you draw a picture when explaining?
Draw a picture if patients need to visualize what you are explaining.
What to ask patients to explain?
E—Explain. Ask patients a variety of questions that encourage them to explain more about their health and habits outside their appointments, Zalman recommended. Questions such as, “Can you tell me more about yourself? What is important to you? And what can I do to help you?” can incite patients to fully engage in conversation.
What does it mean to be a physician in training?
As a physician in training, you’re highly educated and accustomed to consuming dense information. But just because physicians in training understand medical jargon doesn’t mean they know how to effectively explain it to their patient.
How long does it take for a doctor to accept a new treatment?
For the most part, when some new treatment is accepted by the medical profession, it has been thoroughly researched and tested. Even so, physicians often take years to accept new treatments. Physicians' cautious mindset can be a defect, as revealed by history.
What do patients want?
Patients want nonjudgmental, compassionate, honest advice about what they are doing. Do not instantly dismiss what they share as useless. Do not say to throw it all in the garbage. Patience is a virtue. Patients are trying to be autonomous and do things for themselves (self-care). At least we can acknowledge the importance of patients' wishing to take responsibility for their own health and support their autonomy.
Why are physicians concerned about complementary medicine?
Physicians are also concerned patients are getting ripped off financially and are worried about the potential of interaction between natural health products and herbs and the drugs and treatment we are giving.
What does it mean when a doctor says "it's either my way or the highway"?
They feel that unless a patient follows their advice then the patient should find another doctor. While this is perfectly understandable it feels more patient-centered and helpful if we are willing to negotiate and compromise.
Why do people with AIDS seek alternative treatment?
Patients with AIDS, cancer, and chronic mental-health illness often seek alternative treatments and practitioners because their conditions are not always adequately helped by conventional medicine.
Why do patients and doctors work together?
When patients and doctors work together as a team, health outcomes are enhanced. The future of healthcare will hopefully be more collaborative. Patients will be better taken care of when all the healthcare practitioners who are providing treatment communicate more effectively with each other.
What is the first and most important point in a medical visit?
The first and the most important point is asking patients if they are using herbs or natural health products or visiting an alternative practitioner. This should be standard as part of the history for any medical visit.
What are the needs of a patient?
The success of patient education depends largely on how well you assess your patient's: 1 Needs 2 Concerns 3 Readiness to learn 4 Preferences 5 Support 6 Barriers and limitations (such as physical and mental capacity, and low health literacy or numeracy)
How to get to know your patient?
Get to know your patient. Introduce yourself and explain your role in your patient's care. Review their medical record and ask basic get-to-know-you questions.
How to teach a patient to make assumptions?
Be careful not to make assumptions. Patient teaching based on incorrect assumptions may not be very effective and may take more time. Find out what the patient wants to know or take away from your meeting. Get to know your patient. Introduce yourself and explain your role in your patient's care.
What is the first step in patient education?
Often, the first step is to find out what the patient already knows. Use these guidelines to do a thorough assessment before starting patient education:
How effective is patient education?
To be effective, patient education needs to be more than instructions and information. Teachers and health care providers need to be able to assess patient needs and communicate clearly. The success of patient education depends largely on how well you assess your patient's: Needs. Concerns. Readiness to learn.
How to gain trust in a relationship?
Gain trust. Show respect and treat each person with compassion and without judgment.
Approaching The Question of Treatment Costs
Don't Let Insurance Costs Impede Treatment
- Unfortunately, our patients have been misinformed and taught that if insurance doesn’t cover it, it must not be that important or necessary. This was learned all too well from how insurance has worked in medicine for years, and it is rapidly becoming a bigger part of discussions in the dental office as well. Here is a great example that just happened to me and my wife in a doctor’s office …
Making Oral Health The Priority
- A common example nowadays is implants: a lot of insurance companies don’t cover them when tooth loss is imminent, but they will cover a fixed or removable partial denture. Let’s say we tell our patient, “Mrs. Jones, you are going to lose this tooth. You could have an implantdone to replace it, but insurance won’t cover it. It will cover a portion of a bridge or partial. So we can do …
Communicating The True Value of Dental Treatment
- One of the biggest things is this: value. Simply put, if patients truly placed a high value on their oral health, they would brush three times a day, floss twice a day, come to the dentist regularly and do whatever it takes to maintain their teeth and oral health. But for many patients, the value they place on maintaining their teeth (and sometimes...