Work With Your Patients In and Out of the Office

As many health professionals can tell you, not all of their patients follow their orders the minute they leave their office.

In many cases, patients will tell you they understand what is needed from them in order to improve their health, only to revert back to the bad habits that possibly got them in trouble in the first place. Whether it is back problems, eating issues or even not getting enough exercise, many patients fail to heed the warnings of their medical pros.
So, how can you as a medical pro get through to your patients the first time around, increasing their chances of improving whatever ails them? In most instances, it all starts with being up front, caring, and taking the time to listen.
In order to be the best medical professional that you can be for your patients, remember to:
1. Be honest – Whether it is a simple diagnosis or a more complicated one, it is important for those in the medical field to be upfront with those they see and treat. From spine surgeons Alberta to the local doctor in a rural town, make sure that your patients get an honest assessment from you each and every time you see them. As many patients will note, they do not always feel like they get the quality time they need and deserve when seeing their doctor or other medical pro. While much of this has to do with the financial reimbursement many doctors now receive, it is still important that any and all patient questions be answered honestly and given ample time;
2. Be a good listener – While hands-on medical skills are crucial for anyone who works with the public, being able to listen to a patient’s concerns is of equal importance. Given the abbreviated time that many patients get with their medical appointments, it is important that they not leave the office having more questions than answers. Patients know better than anyone else when something is not right medically with them, so make sure you take the time to hear their concerns;
3. Be up on current medical initiatives – Even though it may be difficult to stay abreast of every new medical initiative in your field given how rapidly medicine is changing, you must be in tune with today’s medical information. One way to do this is by becoming more comfortable using the Internet. Those medical pros who take the time to go online and research medical news, plus use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Gogle+, and LinkedIn to confer with others in their respective fields, stand to be a better professional for their patients. Being active online (especially with social media) also benefits those in the medical arena due to the fact that more and more patients are using the Internet to gather facts on medical conditions and those that treat them.
Although there are only so many things you can do when your patients come to see you, being a good listener, being up to date on medical advances, and spending quality time with your patients is providing care that is second to none.