How can you develop a patient-centered approach to behavior change?

Patient-centered care really means transparency, where the patient is given all of the information and is a shared decision maker in what comes next. Treatment adherence is so important, and when patients are a part of the decision, they are more likely to adhere and reap the potential benefits. Explain all available options in clear language, with benefits and risks, and then work as a team to decide what's next. Patient education is really important, making sure they can also find more information from reputable sources outside of your interactions.

The initial definition of patient centred care is a good one. The key is that the healthcare system has to "flow" (including prevention) and it all has to be framed and understood from the perspective of the patient / citizen. This requires getting close to the patient and really studying their needs / requirements. The problem that the NHS faces in delivering this, is that teams break down into silos. Especially in a time of overwhelm, silos become focused on their own personal needs and lose sight of the patient.

Patient-centred care starts with understanding underlying needs, wants and values of patients, segmenting them according to their answers, and creating personalised journeys that would empower them to achieve their health goals.

Consider the patient's condition. How do you feel when you go to the hospital? Anxious, curious, indifferent, sad? No matter what you feel, it is the uncertainty of the situation that tires you the most. For this reason, it is most important for a patient to know from the beginning the experience s/he will have based on the diagnosis and findings. The first step to build trust is clarity on the patient journey ????

Patient-centered care is a holistic approach to healthcare that prioritizes the individual needs, preferences, and values of the patient. It is respecting the unique perspectives of each person, recognizing that healthcare is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. It fosters a partnership between healthcare providers and patients, promoting shared decision-making, open communication, and mutual respect. In the realm of patient-centered care, healthcare is not solely about treating diseases; it is about understanding the whole person. This encompasses not only physical health but also mental, emotional, and social well-being. It is about recognizing the diverse backgrounds and beliefs of patients and tailoring care accordingly.

In healthcare, the real game changer is patient-centered care. When I was a patient, what mattered most wasn't just the treatment plan, but the motivation and genuine empathy from those treating me. Every patient's journey is distinct, and often a bit frightening - so, a one-size-fits-all approach just doesn't cut it. It's not enough to hand over a standard set of guidelines. If you want lasting change, the real impact will come from understanding each patient's specific challenges, what drives them, and recognizing the stress and emotions they're dealing with. In short, effective care is less about following a protocol and more about tailoring support to individual needs.

A patient centered approach is not just the demographics or determinants of health. Especially in this world of focused attention to intersectionality which magnifies biases. For this reason I switched to qualitatively and quantitatively assessing the psychographics of clients as more of a valid indicator of how to communicate with each person. It is helpful to understand their ways of being with an objective core values assessment and a classification of their mental processing style, behavioral motivators and even soft skills.These give me a level of emotional intelligence. This has been a game changer in getting what they value to enroll themselves in behavioral shifts. People love to take self assessments to learn about themselves.

I actually find the SMART framework limited for diversity inclusion, especially when focusing on less tangible stressors on the care such as neurodiversity. For this reason I have moved into also including targeted psychographic assessments. It allows me to understand the motivators behind behaviors and communicate to their core values not just standard management protocol talk. In this way I coach people out of pain of body, mind, relational issues or business needs instead of being locked into treating a problem or solving a problem. That always loses the interpersonal connection. I use a series of frameworks like this to work with the who and where they are.

It helps to show the outcomes of the change in a variety of ways, from verbal to visual, from inside the clinician's office and from other sources. Work to engage the patient's family as well, when applicable, to promote the positive feedback loop.

I have not found anything better than being able to get a person’s psychographics when working on behavioral change for anything. Much like health coaching, this comes out of the world of sales, performance and business. The why under those behaviors can be gotten in 30 min now and then verified through the intake process, then again brought in to keep momentum. I highly recommend making it much easier on yourself by being able to have more objectives so invite anyone following this thread to go through a debrief with me and we can discuss all the possibilities. This is the best way to experience the difference. Happy to discuss options that integrate in all styles of coaching, training, rehab and lifestyle practice.