Patients Needed to Be Referred for Care, Reaction Paper Example

Introduction

A 25 year-old female patient at a weight of 320 lbs. visited the clinic for treatment of acid reflux and related symptoms. The patient was evaluated in regards to her nutrition, and she noted that she has a poor diet and consumes too much fried food, sodas, and chocolate. She would like assistance in eating better to lose weight and to improve her overall general health. Therefore, based upon her concerns and her desire for additional support, she was referred to a nutritionist for further counseling. When the patient followed up for a visit the next month, she had already seen a nutritionist and was on the path to improving her diet, and she had begun to exercise and had lost six pounds. This demonstrated a marked improvement in her attitude and focus regarding weight loss and her overall health and wellbeing.

Analysis

When patients are given referrals or recommendations, the practitioner anticipates that he or she will follow these recommendations. However, this is not always the case, and there are other factors to consider in order to determine if the patient is adequately prepared to manage the consequences of his or behavior and to make changes. By conducting basic nutritional screenings for these patients, it is possible that they will receive additional insight and guidance regarding their current health status that will enable them to make proper decisions regarding nutrition in order to improve their health (Omidvari et.al, 2013). This process is essential to the identification of specialized support that is likely to have a positive impact on their lives (Omidvari et.al, 2013). Patients who require specific types of referrals must also be willing to take these referrals seriously and to recognize the importance of these referrals, as practitioners are concerned regarding their health in a manner that additional specialized guidance is required to improve their overall health status (Hughes et.al, 2012). These factors play a role in shaping outcomes for individuals, but also in demonstrating the importance of communication in achieving the desired results for patients.

Communication strategies must be efficient and practical when considering specialty care so that patients are in support of these objectives. Most importantly, communication must be fostered through a framework that promotes empathy and true concern for the patient’s wellbeing (Neo, 2011). It is also necessary for practitioners to provide their patients with a platform for two-way communication that will encourage patients to have an open role in making decisions regarding their health (Neo, 2011). This will have a positive impact on patient outcomes and in supporting the growth of this relationship to achieve a greater level of trust that supports the referral process (Neo, 2011). This is important in demonstrating the value of achieving completion in the referral process, particularly when timely specialty care is required (Zuckerman et.al, 2011). This process supports the continued growth and development of new perspectives that are designed to improve patient care outcomes and to promote a greater level of awareness between patients and practitioners regarding the need for specialty care (Zuckerman et.al, 2011).

Conclusion

Active communication between provider and patient is essential to the development of successful outcomes for patients, and in particular, those who require specialized care. This process will engage patients in the development of new perspectives that are designed to facilitate effective patient care outcomes and in supporting the needs of patient on a comprehensive basis to facilitate positive outcomes. Patients must be provided with the resources that are necessary to make effective decisions regarding their care, and to also achieve greater quality of life using this guidance.

References

Hughes, E. F., Wu, A. W., Carducci, M. A., & Snyder, C. F. (2012). What can I do? Recommendations for responding to issues identified by patient-reported outcomes assessments used in clinical practice. The journal of supportive oncology, 10(4), 143.

Neo, L. F. (2011). Working toward the best doctor-patient communication. Singapore medical journal, 52(10), 720-725.

Omidvari, A. H., Vali, Y., Murray, S., Wonderling, D., & Rashidian, A. (2013). Nutritional screening for improving professional practice for patient outcomes in hospital and primary care settings. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.

Zuckerman, K. E., Nelson, K., Bryant, T. K., Hobrecker, K., Perrin, J. M., & Donelan, K. (2011). Specialty referral communication and completion in the community health center setting. Academic pediatrics, 11(4), 288-296.