The Five Reasons Why You Need to Move Beyond Being Patient-Centred

What is being patient-centred?

For many years, healthcare has been largely focused on the concept of patient-centred care. This approach aims to put the patient at the centre of their care, tailoring treatments and services to meet their individual needs and preferences. Patient-centred care recognises that every patient is unique and has individual values, preferences and circumstances that influence their health and healthcare decisions.

However, in recent years, there has been a shift towards a more collaborative approach, where healthcare providers not just consider the needs of their patients, but also partner with them to co-design and co-manage care. In this blog post, we will explore why you need to move beyond a patient-centred approach to partnering with your patients.

What is partnering with patients?

Partnering with patients is an approach to healthcare that involves actively involving patients in their own care and treatment. It goes beyond simply talking to patients and using their perspective to enhance care solutions, and instead focuses on developing a collaborative relationship between healthcare providers and patients.

Partnering with patients involves acknowledging patients as experts in their own experiences and healthcare needs, and working together with them to co-design and co-manage care. This can involve sharing information and decision-making power, as well as taking into account patients' individual preferences, values, and experiences.

Partnering with patients can happen at different levels within the health system - from an individual consultation level where a patient is empowered 

Some examples of partnering with patients in healthcare settings include involving patients in patient advisory councils, including patient advocates to co-design care solutions and improve the patient journey, and soliciting patient feedback on their care experiences and outcomes to inform quality improvement initiatives.

How is partnering with patients different to being patient-centred?

Patient-centred care and partnering with patients are related concepts, but partnering with patients takes patient-centred care a step further. In short, while patient-centred care focuses on putting the patient's needs first, partnering with patients goes beyond this to establish a collaborative relationship between the patient and the health care organisation.

Partnering includes actively involving the patient in decision-making about their care, collaborating with them to design and improve care services and engaging them as active participants in their own health care.

While patient-centred care is a broader approach to healthcare that prioritises the patient's needs in all aspects of their care, partnering with patients is a specific way to put patient-centred care into practice by involving patients in their care decisions and actively seeking their input and feedback.

The 5 reasons why you need to partner with your patients:

1. Partnering with Patients Activates Them To Participate In Their Care
First and foremost, partnering with patients puts them in the driver's seat when it comes to their care. Rather than just being the recipient of care, patients become active participants in the decision-making process. This helps to empower them, as they are able to make informed decisions about their health based on their own values, preferences, and experiences. Patients who feel empowered are more likely to take an active role in managing their own health, which can lead to better health outcomes.

2. Partnering with Patients Improves The Quality Of Care.

 When patients are engaged in the care process, they can provide valuable insights into their own experiences and needs. This can help healthcare providers to better understand the patient's perspective and tailor their care to meet those needs. As a result, the care provided is more personalised and effective.

3. Partnering with Patients Improves Patient Satisfaction

Patients who feel listened to and involved in their care are more likely to report a positive experience. This can lead to better patient retention and word-of-mouth referrals, which can benefit healthcare providers in the long run.

4. Partnering with Patients Helps Reduce Costs.

When patients are actively involved in their care, they are more likely to adhere to treatment plans and make positive lifestyle changes. This can lead to better health outcomes and a reduced need for costly interventions down the line. Additionally, involving patients in the design and management of care can help to identify areas where efficiencies can be made, leading to cost savings.

5. Partnering with Patients Is A Requirement

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality for Health Care has released National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards which specifically include a Partnering with Consumers standard. This standard outlines the systems and strategies required to deliver safe and high-quality health care in partnership with patients. The Commission has also published the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights which clearly sets expectations for patients about what they should expect from their health care - including the expectation of partnership from their health care providers. 

In the past, healthcare providers often acted as the sole decision-makers in a patient's care, which could result in patients feeling like they were not being heard or that their concerns were being ignored. While patient-centred care has been a step in the right direction away from this paternal approach, partnering with patients takes it to the next level. Patients are experts in their own experiences and have valuable insights into their own health needs. By partnering with them, healthcare providers can honour their expertise and provide care that truly meets their needs and preferences. This approach has been shown to improve patient satisfaction, increase adherence to treatment plans, and ultimately lead to better health outcomes. 

Further Learning:

Ready to learn more about partnering with your patients and how your practice can evolve to be more PX-driven? Take our introductory Fundamentals of PX course online now. 

Further Reading:

Blog: Exploring the six stages of patient engagement in health care.

Blog: The fundamentals of multidisciplinary teams.