How has the patient’s control over his own health care changed?
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Patients have been important allies in making patient decisions in an era of rising health-care consumerism. Participatory decision making, in which doctors allow patients to take part in medical decisions and take responsibility for their own diagnosis, tends to have a range of major advantages. Furthermore, a physician’s style that allows patients to share their views has been related to higher levels of patient satisfaction. Patient interest in decision-making is also a commonly held ethical ideal. Given the specialty’s broad therapeutic reach and concentration on partnerships, family practice is ideally placed to assist in the pursuit of this ideal.
Making important decisions as a patient can be hard as some decisions are best made before visiting the hospital while others are made in hospitals. Some of the changes concerning patient’s control over their own health that have taken place include;
Financial decisions- patients can make decision on whether to be treated in the public or private system or choose to be a private patient in a public hospital.
documenting healthcare wishes- patients do consider various things when it comes to documenting to documenting wishes for their future medical care. For example, if they have an advance care plan in place that states their preferences for medical care in the event that they do not have the capacity to communicate.
Treatment and care decisions- For instants, when the patient agrees to have a surgery, they are asked to give informed consent in an emergency situation where they can’t communicate effectively. In such situations, it is the doctors responsibility to clearly explain the patient treatment options including risks so that they can make informed choices.
Getting support to make decisions- There is support to assist patients make their own decisions while in hospital. These include hospital staff, family, friends or patient representatives.
References:
Auerbach, S. M. (2000). Should patients have control over their own health care?: Empirical evidence and research issues. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 22(3), 246-259.
Petrie, K. J., & Weinman, J. (2012). Patients’ perceptions of their illness: The dynamo of volition in health care. Current directions in psychological science, 21(1), 60-65.