Onehealthpro

NON-COMPLIANT PATIENTS

Patients who fail to follow through with recommended treatment plans are frustrating for us, but non-compliance is term I wish were stricken from our vocabulary.  If someone is non-compliant, what can we do about it?

We can discover why patients aren't following our advice.  They often have legitimate issues that prevent adherence to treatment plans.  Can't afford the equipment and/or medicines.  Didn't understand the benefits of medicines when side effects were present.  Lead demanding lives, often caring for others, that render self care activities last on the to do list.  Have mental health issues that prevent rational problem solving.  So, never define problems in ways that reduce your power.  Labeling patients non-compliant demolishes professional power. 

PATIENT AND TREATMENT TEAM COMMUNICATIONS

No one is watching, so it's safe to raise your hand if you have ever used the term frequent flyer?  Unless you were discussing airline travel, the term should be stricken from your communication.  When health professionals use the term frequent flyer to describe patients who return for care, we are not offering those patients a compliment.  And usually we aren't offering them quality care.  The term is derogatory implying patients are abusing health care delivery.  No matter who that patient is or what problem they present with, professional behavior requires that we provide first rate care and service.  I know someone is going to suggest that drug abusers cycle through hoping for more chemicals to feed their addiction.  If we provide those chemicals and nothing more, we are not providing first rate care.  A great psycho-social assessment needs to be done with follow-up and encouragement to participate in treatment.  And no, once isn't enough.  I'm a social worker so I understand treatment of behavioral problems is challenging and we human being professionals sometimes feel like giving up.  But giving up is not a term we learned in our professional training.  It's important to remember teachable moments come along in the lives of patients just as they do in the lives of professionals.  We cannot be excused from delivering first rate care because patients have been labeled frequent flyers.  Labels matter.  Give your patients a positive label to live up to and watch your approach to challenging patients change.  Begin thinking of those patients who return for care as people whose needs have not yet been uncovered and/or met.  Think of them as complex human beings looking for answers in a complicated world.  Seen from that perspective, the difficult patients may be viewed by professionals as blessings in disguise.  These are the folks who show us how good our skills really are.