What's the best way to identify and prioritize patient needs and goals?

At Apollo AyurVAID, our process starts with a comprehensive assessment of patient & family history, current lifestyle, past illnesses, risk assessments, biomarkers, current medications etc., to create a unique health profile of the patient. This eliminates the risk of treating the mere symptoms and not the underlying root cause or not accounting for other confounding factors. This first consultation - a comprehensive health profiling spanning 45 minutes to 1 hour leads to a personalized health plan being built and signed off with the patient, setting a solid foundation for their health journey. The informed plan of care forms the heart of the journey, subsequently resulting in superior patient satisfaction.

Active listening, empathy, and a thorough evaluation of the patient's physical, emotional, and psychological well-being are the most effective ways to identify and prioritize their needs and goals. Open and nonjudgmental communication with the patient allows healthcare providers better to grasp their issues, preferences, and values. Conducting detailed interviews, using validated questionnaires, and incorporating the patient in shared decision-making processes can aid in determining their priorities. When prioritizing patient needs, examine the urgency, influence on daily functioning, and alignment with the patient's overall health and well-being goals.

1) All my sessions with all clients start with a walk down memory lane. I want to hear their story to help them identify the patterns that shape their lives i.e. current decisions and struggles. 2) At my initial free consults, clients are asked to articulate their therapy goals. Both 1 & 2 map the treatment plan. I take a holistic trauma centered approach to my work with clients. Constantly evaluating and giving feed back on progress or stuckedness...

A comprehensive assessment is crucial for effective case management. In practice, we've found that using motivational interviewing techniques enhances patient engagement, leading to more accurate and complete assessments. Additionally, integrating technology, like electronic health records (EHRs) with built-in assessment templates, streamlines the process and ensures consistency in capturing all relevant patient data. This approach not only saves time but also facilitates multidisciplinary collaboration by making information readily accessible to all team members.

The best way to identify and prioritize patient needs and goals is through comprehensive assessments, engaging in open and empathetic communication, involving patients in care planning, considering their holistic well-being, and regularly reevaluating their needs and preferences.

One thing I have found helpful is the ability of health practitioners to support the patients, which financial support can be of importance especially in the low income earners. This can be done by social workers in the hospital to raise funds for such patients.

By fostering open and empathetic communication, healthcare providers involve patients in shared decision-making processes to understand their priorities and goals. This collaborative approach ensures that care plans align with the patient's preferences.

The best way to identify and prioritize patient needs and goals is through comprehensive assessments, involving patients in the decision-making process, continuously monitoring progress, and adapting plans based on changing needs and preferences.

In my experience, daily evaluation is crucial. Even, there are some instances where the patient's vital signs would be monitored every 15mins, for example in the management of the 4th stage of labour in pregnant women.

One thing I have found helpful in the health practice is continous learning. Diseases can present in different ways. So a health practitioner should be able to learn constantly, to meet the pace of different health issues.

In my experience, particularly in a country ecosystem like India, core and deep empathy with the patient population is the key. The vast majority of the patient population is affected by various socio-economic and other problems in addition to the basic healthcare ones. To be able to successfully empathize with the patient's overall condition is mandatory to bring feasible, healthcare solutions for the Indian patient population.

"You can't take people to a place that you have never been before." Bishop TD Jakes. A therapist with lived experience and sharing as clinically appropriate, can activate so much therapeutic movement and change in clients.

Consideration of Evidence-Based Practice and Clinical Expertise: In the field of healthcare, providers are expected to combine the application of evidence-based practice guidelines with their own clinical expertise. This is done in order to create tailored care plans that are most suitable for the individual patient's unique circumstances and healthcare needs. This approach ensures that the healthcare provider is not only relying on a one-size-fits-all treatment plan but is also incorporating their clinical knowledge and understanding of the patient's specific situation. These individually tailored care plans are more likely to result in improved patient outcomes and overall satisfaction.