Doctors are supposed to expect their adult patients to take care of themselves and not ask for help. However, being a medical provider is more than making appointments and prescribing medications. There are 4 big ways to help patients who are struggling with serious health problems.
Build a Network of Family and Friends
Every patient has family and friends who may or may not know that you have health problems. As a medical provider, encourage your patients to confide in their loved ones. Provide your support and encouragement to them, if you have the opportunity to. Lead a strong network of people who will support your patient from start to finish.
Provide Supportive Devices
Provide supportive devices to help your patient relieve uncomfortable symptoms, improve mobility, increase blood flow, etc. Reduce swelling by wearing a 8 chamber compression leg sleeve garment, such as one from VasoCARE, LLC, that improves blood circulation by pressing down on the limbs. Provide walkers to patients who have difficulty walking. To physical therapy clients, provide smartwatches to assist with their exercise routines. Overall, for every type of medical condition there is, look for a device to support your patient as they work at becoming healthier.
Provide Optimistic News
Most importantly, keep your patients hopeful with positive updates about their condition. Focus only on the positive improvements regardless of how small and insignificant they seem. Every piece of good information is uplifting to a patient who is struggling to survive every day.
Make Progress Charts
It’s crucial to keep the patient updated about his or her condition and add special emphasis to positive changes. This is achieved by maintaining a progress chart that lists every improvement on a periodic basis, such as every day, week or month. This chart is simpler and easier to understand than a report that is overflowing with technical medical terms. Your patients are already used to reading endless documents. On a progress chart, write concisely, using as few words as possible. For younger patients, add pictures in place of words and use bright-colored fonts to brighten the chart’s appearance.
Dealing with severe pains and discomfort is a daily reality for many patients. They may have cancer, diabetes, kidney disease or other severe ailments that require complex treatments and close monitoring. As a doctor, nurse or caretaker, take a few steps further to help your patients as they relieve symptoms and overcome their conditions.