Faith – Patient-Provider Partnership

Transcript

Just as medicine has continued to evolve with technology and innovation, so too has the relationship between patients and the members of their clinical team. Gone are the days where the relationship was entirely paternalistic, where the provider was considered the expert and successful outcomes were measured based upon whether or not the patient was either compliant or noncompliant with the recommendations that were considered to be expert. In this dynamic, there was no wiggle room nor were patient questions or concerns included in the health or healing equation. This relationship was unbalanced and it often left patients feeling frustrated, confused, and afraid – and most significantly, they often felt distanced from any strategies to achieve needed health goals. Fast forward now to the 21st century where this relationship has evolved and is now viewed as a partnership, with each element of the partnership, playing a vital role. The patient brings a knowledge of self. No one knows the patient better than the patient. They also bring a certain level of understanding about their health conditions, as well as well-defined healthcare goals and objectives. The provider brings years of clinical training and expertise and a wealth of knowledge and insight. When this partnership is working the way it’s supposed to, not only are healthcare goals met, but patient outcomes improve. You should feel empowered as a patient to know that you have the right to seek out the best patient provider partnership for you. And this includes everything from strategies about diet and nutrition and the incorporation of holistic and naturopathic remedies, as well as strategies that you might want to use that integrate your spirituality and your faith belief practices, such as prayer, meditation, and fasting. Because these elements are important to you – the patient – they should be important to the provider and therefore important to the development of a productive partnership between you and your healthcare team. As you look to construct a framework of your own healthcare partnerships, please know that it’s okay and entirely reasonable to engage prospective members of your healthcare team about their thoughts regarding spirituality. There may be layers and levels to this relationship. The goal should be synergy and shared understanding and not antagonism and conflict. Working together is the best path to achieving healthcare goals and ultimately optimizing health and wellness. And the first step in this practice involves patients understanding that they are entitled to crafting that partnership by surrounding themselves with the best possible individuals who are going to listen, respect, and respond.