Balancing patient needs with multiple providers: Can you effectively advocate for their best interests?

It is helpful in the primary care setting to ask important questions about support at home, relationships and community connection. When asked, we can discover how many people are on the fringe of zero connections in their lives. I see this every day in people who have no one in their life, very limited outside relationships, and trying to maintain independence. It can be helpful for people to develop relationships but may not know where to start. How can we help if we do not ask?

Patient or client advocacy is paramount. It underpins everything we do. In contrast with starutory or NHS services, the case managers role as advocate can be restricted by contractual arrangements. I am finding new ways to advocate where my clients needs, as I see them, conflict with the needs of significant decision makers in the clients sphere.

In my experience the first rule for patient management is Empathy I.e the ability to see from the patient's perspective. You see empathy breeds patience and compassion. Once there's empathy every other things will naturally follow suit. I've had to attend to patient's by 10pm even though my shift ended by 4pm

I wholeheartedly agree. Case management provides support to individuals while they set goals and achieve them on their terms. As a case manager I was able to use soft skills like active listening and motivational interviewing to gauge individuals motivations and unique stage of change to make goals with achievable deadlines. Sometimes, we (case managers) think a client should start with a task, while the client wants to start with another. And as case managers it is important to understand the clients motivations and help them stay motivated to make positive change in their life, on their timeline.

Equilibrar as necessidades dos pacientes com vários provedores de saúde pode ser desafiador, mas é essencial para garantir que os melhores interesses dos pacientes sejam atendidos de maneira eficaz. Garanta que haja uma comunicação aberta e eficaz entre todos os provedores envolvidos no cuidado do paciente. Isso pode envolver compartilhamento de informações relevantes, atualizações sobre o estado do paciente e discussões sobre planos de tratamento.

I have had patients whose work schedule do not align with schedules at health facilities in meeting specialist. From scheduling appointments to coordinating care across different specialties, navigating the healthcare system can be overwhelming. These are patients who in the long run do not follow prescriptions, respect appointments and in a setting like ours (developing countries) with a many patients= few care providers ratio, there is usually poor follow and work overload. This further renders renders work coordination lacking in information sharing in a prompt manner. So to streamline this process, Its important helping patients access the resources and support they need while minimizing logistical hurdles.

I have found that if I list their needs, urgency and keep track of who, when, and what was said at that time, will make my efforts to be accomplished easier when I review outcome of the case.

Yes, as a Case Manager you have the unique opportunity to see the case from a holistic perspective. Communicating with each provider allows you to advocate for the patient and insure that each provider is aware of all aspects of a patients needs.

Care coordination is not as easy as it sounds. It involves other health care professionals and the level of cooperation there will to give. I've heard of some toxic cases but I've never really had any. Care coordination ensures that the patient is attended to by every professional assigned on that case note. For example a the attention of a nurse can be called upon or a defaulting haematologist corrected.

Whatever medical problem the patient has, the specialist who handles that problem that specific problem has to take the lead and other support

In my setting (Health facilities in the rural areas, villages), we are often faced with langauge barriers with despite 2 official languages;French and English(Cameroon, Africa), we got over 200 local languages, knowing not all patients are literate. So apart from having good communication skills of listening, its often not enough and a need for a translator often for better understanding during exchange of concerns, building of trust and patient centered care ensured, which still leaves clouds of uncerntainty in understading. This goes a long way to say there is need to often evaluate the quality of care using various methods, response to treatment, patient non verbal expressions, observations and counselling services if there be need.

Sometimes I found it difficult when speaking or listening to someone with a different language that I was unable to understand. The only course was to find someone who was able to translate or take the case over. Which ever the patient decided on.

Dealing with children requires simple language . The target group also requires different communication skills. The way you communicate with pediatric is different from the adolescent. Be friendly and conversant with the area/ topic of discussion. You can as well utilize ELSIE approach when your target group is Children.

True! Effective communication serves as the cornerstone for fostering understanding, trust and collaboration among all stakeholders involved in the patient's care journey. Clarity and consistency in relaying information is paramount while active listening is a game changer since it enables attention to concerns and preferences of both patients and health providers

Patient consent and confidentiality are sometimes overlooked by providers but has proven especially in remote settings once breeched have led to stigmatization challenges particularly in the domain of HIV/AIDs I have worked in over the years. We have had patients abandon Anti Retroviral therapy for these reasons; The healthcare journey can be emotionally taxing for patients and their families, especially in the face of serious illness or complex medical conditions. So we do offer emotional support, empathy, and compassion, serving as a source of reassurance and comfort during challenging times. Though not with challenges and delimmas of disclosure especially when it comes to children, parents of adolescents and significant others.

Very person has different ideas about what can be said about themselves. Most times it is easier to reach the patient and explain what exactly can be relayed to another while maintaining trust.

Upholding ethical standards and promoting the rights and dignity of every individual is the conceptual oath we undertake upon service as humanitarians. Confidentiality, informed consent, respect are ethical principles that ought to be upheld rigorously, however many times they have been breached especially when the receiving end is ignorant about these principles.... service providers take it for granted, resulting into adverse effects for both the clients and service providers.

Socioeconomic factors, insurance complexities, and logistical barriers can hinder access to healthcare services. Having worked tirelessly in various health projects with limited funding to address these disparities, advocating for equitable access to care and connecting patients with resources such as financial assistance programs and community support services is still not enough in my experience as sometimes health is not a priority focus for most developing countries like ours. Populations still struggle on their own for those who can to access health care services while others turn to traditional methods, and unaccounted deaths. Its a huge gap that still need to be addressed; Availability of infrastructure and trained personnel.

Continuous learning the biggest tip that has ever helped me. As bthe saying goes Learning never ends. Don't just read about things in your field read widely. Be versatile. Be able to engage anyone in the health care profession in a profitable conversation.

I agree with you.. Actually I think continuous learning is the most important thing, as it equips individuals and organizations with the tools needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world. And by fostering a culture of learning, both personal and professional growth can be achieved more effectively.

One thing I find helpful is to have a quarterly meeting where all providers can be together to brainstorm course of action for the patient and make offers on what each provider can do and when they can do it in the yearly cycle. I believe if more providers looked at each patient as a small business the way SBDC conducts education and services to economic development more lives would have value and success would center on quality of care. Food for thought Louisa Parson Opportunist Researcher Solomon ELEVEN Interim Hospice Volunteer Part Time Janitor Perfection Cleaning 🧼

As a case manager you can take the following steps to advocate for your patient's needs: 1. Thoroughly assess patient's needs, identify goals and values. 2. Establish open communication, encourage collaborative decision-making. 3. Coordinate care, facilitate team meetings, align on care plan. 4. Navigate healthcare system, advocate for access to services. 5. Ensure patient's voice heard, challenge misaligned recommendations. 6. Monitor care plan, address gaps and conflicts. 7. Empower patient and family, encourage self-advocacy. 8. Escalate issues, seek external support when necessary.

Always put the patient first. First of all they're the reason why you even have a paycheck. I always see patients as friends that require specialised attention not as liabilities.