Family Doctors Demonstrate Benefits When New Model Of Care Becomes Reality

To summarize my experience, I believe that it is absolutely essential for a physician or any healthcare provider to listen to the family and/or primary caregivers of an individual, especially if that individual has or has had chronic medical conditions in the past. Any change that is noticed by the primary caregiver of an individual SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER and not written off to old age or "normal" behavior, especially when the caregiver states repeatedly that the patient's behavior is not normal and has markedly changed. A caregiver knows their patient better than anyone else, and someone has to be their advocate if they cannot advocate for themselves. A physician should be bound by ethics if nothing else to investigate problems brought up by a caregiver during office visits or after-hours calls if necessary. I understand that doctors are busy, but patients are too, and they trust their well-being to their physicians. It's hard to get to know someone and recall their history in a 5-minute visit. I believe that if the entire healthcare industry were centered more on preventative/well care and taking the time to listen to and provide for a patient's needs, the cost of healthcare and incidence of unfavorable outcomes would be reduced significantly. I am not a healthcare provider, I am a daughter. If we all get back to the basics of making sick people well, and nurture the patient/physician relationship, it would be a very good thing.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to voice my opinion from the "other" side of the equation - a family member and caregiver. It's the same way I approach my profession as a realtor - I try to put myself in my clients' shoes.

Competing interests:   None declared