Let’s Get Engaged

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If you read this blog you know I hate new words that are created by administrators.  It seems that “engage” is the hottest one being used for EVERYTHING now.  See here and here. Did you know that there is a career called “patient engagement advisors”? Kill me.  Anyway, here is a new article stating how we health care professionals must engage patients.

Here are Gallup’s six strategies to improve patient engagement.

  1. Engage patients at admission. Include them in discussions regarding procedures and discharge.
  2. Make sure patients understand test results. Asking patients to explain back results to clinicians can ensure they understand the results.
  3. Proactively meet patients’ needs. Respond quickly to patient requests and, when possible, anticipate any needs a patient may have.
  4. Demonstrate empathy. Show patients you empathize with them and their families by addressing their needs every day.
  5. Coordinate proper communication. Ensure providers across the continuum of care are communicating with each other.
  6. Coordinate discharge processes. Coordinating the process with physicians and nurses helps expedite the discharge and prevents the patient from having to wait around.

Can you see a medical student working through this in her mind.  “Hello, sir, how are you?  I am engaging you.  I want you to understand every lab test you have.  What is an RDW?  Hmmmm.  Not sure.  Anyway, I am proactively trying to meet your needs so here is a bottle of scotch and a porn magazine.  It must be hard being admitted for pancreatitis so many times, huh.  Anyway,  I will tell the nurses to give you all the pain meds you need and we’ll get you out of here and back to the bar as soon as we can.”

Okay, that was cynical but I really hate made up words and idiots, who are not doctors, telling us how to be a doctor.  If they would just engage me on that I would tell them that “I hear you” but I just want to give some “push back” on this issue.  Or are those terms out of fashion now?