Patient-Centered Care: From Patient to Partner

Dejuan Patterson..."Last month I had the pleasure of serving as a keynote speaker during the Re-Imagining Health Care Conference hosted by UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing. The conference focused on community based care. An amazing aspect of the conference was the common theme that permeated the event.

The Re-Imagining Health Care Conference’s diverse panels and speakers, indeed affirms the fact patient centered research can work across demographic and geographic areas. As the country’s diversity continues to increase, the issues impacting people of color (i.e., the social determinants of health) are going to be of greater significance moving forward. It is more important than ever for people of color to actively engage in all levels of research and application, including clinical trials, to ensure more robust and informed patient-centered treatment.

As a survivor of gun violence, I know the firsthand trauma of being victimized by a criminal, and then being victimized by the police for being an African American male. I realize having the choice of an ER and subsequent care, was instrumental in saving my life. It was at this point I transitioned from a patient to an adviser. I knew I needed to be the voice for those who have experienced community violence and trauma."Read more, full blog post