Patients are People Too

Patients are people first. Patients are people who should have a voice in their care.

Patients are people. While this is inherently known amongst us all, the words do have some differences in meaning within healthcare settings.

The first pilot research study that I conducted investigated the meaning of knowing the patient. To know the patient is to know the clinical aspects of the individual as well as the personal aspects of the individual.

Of course, it is essential to understand the clinical needs of the individual patient. This includes the diagnosis, reason for visit, treatments and plan of care to name a few items.

However, as a person, the personal aspects of the the individual can be overlooked at times when a patient. This could be any type of preference. However patients tend to have categories of preferences. For example, I know that my right antecubital vein is very difficult to find in my arm whereas the one on the left tends to be easier. Knowing this as a healthcare provider can make a significant difference for the patient who sees his or herself as a person first.

Knowing this can save unnecessary sticks in the arm when knowing that the phlebotomist has a great chance of being unsuccessful the first time. Knowing this can make the person feel known as a patient. Knowing this can improve the patient experience overall.

Patient-centered care is one of the six categories of healthcare quality as defined by the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine).

Patient-centered care is defined as, “Providing care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions.”.

After all, patients are people too. Patients are people first. Patients are people who should have a voice in their care.

For patients, be sure to ask questions and share information that can help provide more individualized care.

For nurses, doctors and all healthcare professional roles, be sure to include patients in their care. They are the reason we are there and deserve to have a high quality experience.