8/7/2019 Some Principles of Patient Care

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Some Principles of Patient Careby Toby Anderson, MD

Since 2008, I have received the Community Cares: Excellence in Patient Care Award,offered by the Dyersburg Regional Medical Center, on an annual basis. A complex and evolvingfield, patient care involves not only treatment of an individual s illness, but a holistic approachthat leads to better long-term outcomes and prevention of future complications.

A basic tenet of good patient care involves establishing a continuous relationshipbetween patient and caregiver. In addition to building patient trust and loyalty, a continuousrelationship better equips a physician to interpret self-reported, subjective descriptions of thepatient s conditions. That physician also becomes an invaluable source of information to othermedical professionals in an emergency setting.

In addition, physicians should develop an awareness of the cultural considerationsspecific to local populations. For instance, an emergency department physician working in apredominantly Hispanic area would be well-served by a basic understanding of medical Spanish.Beyond language, doctors should be aware of culture- or faith-based traditions that may affectthe responses of individuals. Certain cultural groups, for instance, may be reluctant to discussphysical ailments of a sexual nature or to report domestic abuse. An appropriate bedsidemanner also affects the quality of patient care. Patients experiencing anxiety, discomfort, oremotional distress need to be treated in such a way that these secondary considerations do notbecome more debilitating than the underlying issue. Physicians need to pay special attention tolack of disclosure by patients worried about finances or the impact of an illness on family

members.

Beyond the level of the individual physician, coordination of care also plays a major rolein patient care. Modern healthcare systems are increasingly complex and patients need to beseen by the right specialist at the right time. Hospital administrators need to establish efficient,evidence-based protocols for the provision of specialized care. Information must be transferredbetween care providers in an efficient manner, and mechanisms put in place to ensure thatpatients are guided through every step of the process.