A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that a majority of patients discharged from the Emergency Room (ER) do not fully understand their diagnosis, treatment, or their discharge instructions. The study of 140 patients measured four distinct categories: diagnosis, ER treatment, instructions for at-home care, and warning signs of when to return to the hospital. More than 78 percent of the patients surveyed lacked adequate recall in at least one area and almost half lacked recall in at least two areas.
“This study demonstrates a fundamental flaw in our healthcare system: too many patients, too little time,” says Dianne Savastano, MBA, BS, Nursing, founder of Healthassist, a personal healthcare consulting practice based north of Boston. “Even when patients are able to get the care they need, they are often rushed through the process and can leave the hospital or doctor’s office before they fully understand their discharge instructions. This can cause serious complications down the road.”
Savastano understands healthcare from both the clinical and business perspectives. In her twenty-five-year career in healthcare, she has worked as a nurse providing direct patient care, as a hospital manager, as a director of managed care for an insurance company, and as a manager of workers’ compensation programs. Savastano was also the primary caregiver for her uncle when he’d been diagnosed with multiple cancers. Today, Savastano runs her own business helping individuals and families navigate the complexities of the healthcare system and teaches them how to become better advocates in the process.
“There’s no doubt the average doctor’s visit is becoming shorter and shorter,” Savastano says. Whether you are a patient or a caregiver, visiting the ER or attending a regularly scheduled appointment with your primary care physician, Savastano offers the following ten tips for making the most out of every visit:
1. Keep a file that includes a detailed history of your healthcare and the recommendations, treatments, and prescriptions you receive from all your doctors. Include a list of immunizations and when you received them. Keep a chronological list of any diagnostic tests ordered along with the results.
