Does the time your physician has to spend on “paperwork” and electronic health records take away from the time he or she can spend with you? We think so. Is it reasonable to think that they have unlimited time to spend listening and educating each patient based on their needs and abilities? We say no and it is not the best use of their time and expertise. Could a patient advocate/health and wellness coach be part of the solution for both physician and you, the patient? We definitely think so.
If you’ve been to visit a physician recently you probably noticed the amount of time the physician has to spend entering your information into the computer. You may have asked yourself, when do I get time to ask the physician questions about my medical condition, a new medication or lab work? There seems to be so much time taken on “paperwork” and very little time to talk with your physician about your health issues.
In the 2019 New Jersey Health Care Monitor, a survey of physicians done by Brach Eichler, a Roseland, NJ based firm, found just that – physicians are spending less time with patients and more time on paperwork. https://njbmagazine.com/njb-news-now/results-revealed-from-brach-eichlers-2019-new-jersey-health-care-monitor/ The survey showed that 63% of physicians said they were dealing with an administrative burden as a result of regulatory or compliance requirements. Many physicians are frustrated about these administrative issues and feel this is not what they went to medical school for. Some of the strategies taken by physicians to decrease these burdens include practice mergers, use of nurse practitioners and improved technology. Some physicians are seeing patients via telemedicine or using email to communicate with patients regarding medical questions. Technology is great and many people today feel comfortable using it, but this may not be true of all people, particularly the elderly.
What is the answer?
What are some possible alternatives? Who is available to help a patient get healthcare questions answered or assist them in navigating a new medical condition? As a nurse patient advocate and health and wellness coach, that is exactly what I do. In recent years, the role of the patient advocate has expanded. A patient advocate is usually someone hired privately by a patient or their family to assist them with managing a healthcare crisis, coordinate transitions in care or just be available to answer questions regarding a new diagnosis. As a patient advocate and health and wellness coach, I work in a very collaborative role with the healthcare team. Whether I am accompanying a patient to a physician visit or with them at the hospital, I am there to support the patient, clarify any questions they have and speak with the healthcare team, if necessary.
A Nurse Advocate By Your Side
Recently, I was assisting a family with a serious health crisis with their father. I was the advocate following him in the ICU and in and out of the hospital for several admissions. Two of the physicians treating him were amazed at what I was doing to monitor the patient’s status. They were very impressed with my spreadsheet that closely tracked all vital signs, lab results as well as test results. This concise document providing a great birds eye view of my client’s very complicated and fragile health state. The physicians experienced the benefit of my services and watchful eye and the family felt that if I wasn’t advocating for their Dad that his outcome would have been much worse.
The Case for Having a Health Coach
Many medical conditions affecting people today are impacted by lifestyle choices as well as physical causes. Physicians do not always have the time to address all of these lifestyle choices on an ongoing basis. Having an advocate and coach to support the physicians care plan can be exactly what the patient needs. As their health coach, I partner with them to facilitate the changes they seek to make to improve their health.
Recent studies have shown that health coaches have improved outcomes with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension by improving patient compliance with treatment and assisting the patient in making sustainable lifestyle changes. Hopefully, physician practices will see the benefit of these patient outcomes and consider having a patient advocate/health and wellness coach as a permanent part of their healthcare team!