Since our beginning in 2009 a big part of the vision for our Society has been to spread the word. Toward that end, this month I’m doing a talk at the Massachusetts Council on Aging annual conference, to launch a new topic I’ll be using in local community presentations: How To Be An Empowered Patient and Caregiver.
I’ve been reading as much as I can about generative AI (ChatGPT etc), and everyone says “You can’t understand this by reading – you gotta use it to help in your work.” So I asked it a starter question, and holy moly, it outlined the whole thing! Look.
What’s a good way to introduce seniors to how to be an empowered patient?
GPT-4’s response:
Introducing seniors to the concept of being an empowered patient involves providing them with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to take an active role in their healthcare. Here is a structured approach to introducing seniors to this vital concept:
- Define Empowered Patient: Start with a clear definition of what it means to be an empowered patient. An empowered patient is one who actively participates in their own care, making informed decisions based on understanding and knowledge.
- Emphasize the Importance:
- Better Outcomes: Studies show that patients who are engaged and informed often have better health outcomes.
- Avoid Mistakes: Being proactive can help prevent medical errors.
- Personalized Care: Everyone’s body and health needs are different. Being an empowered patient allows for a more tailored healthcare experience.
- Equip with Tools and Resources:
- Technology: Introduce them to patient portals, health apps, and telehealth services.
- Medication Management: Teach them how to manage and organize medications, understand side effects, and the importance of adhering to prescriptions.
- Research: Show them reliable sources where they can learn more about their conditions, like Mayo Clinic, WebMD, or the National Institutes of Health.
- Effective Communication:
- Ask Questions: Encourage them to prepare questions before doctor visits and not to be shy about asking them.
- Speak Up: If they don’t understand something, it’s vital to speak up.
- Health History: Make sure they know their health history and keep a list of all medications and dosages.
- Build Confidence:
- Role Play: Do mock doctor visits where they practice asking questions and clarifying doubts.
- Support Groups: Encourage participation in patient groups or workshops where they can share experiences and learn from others.
- Decision-making: Teach them the importance of weighing pros and cons when making health decisions. Introduce concepts like “second opinion.”
- Legal and Ethical Aspects:
- Advanced Directives: Discuss the importance of having documents like living wills and medical power of attorney.
- Rights as a Patient: Make sure they know their rights, such as accessing their medical records.
- Feedback Loop: Create a safe space where they can share their experiences, challenges, and get guidance on specific issues they face.
- Continuous Learning: Health and medicine are ever-evolving fields. Encourage them to attend workshops, seminars, or webinars to stay updated.
- Provide Reading Material: Offer pamphlets, books, or handouts that they can refer to after your discussion.
- Use Real-life Examples: Share stories (without breaching privacy) of individuals who benefited from being empowered patients.
- Enlist Family Support: Sometimes, the support of family members can be instrumental in making a senior feel empowered and confident.
Remember, every senior is different, so you may need to tailor your approach based on individual needs, health conditions, and technological familiarity. The ultimate goal is to make them feel confident, informed, and ready to be an active participant in their healthcare journey.
WELL! I see what everyone’s talking about. It’s not exactly what I have in mind, so I’ll add and subtract, but that’s a darn good first draft. I can see why some experts say we should treat these things like a darn good intern, to generate a solid first draft for us to polish (and correct where necessary).
Are you using it yet?
This is impressive! I couldn’t help notice that even ChatGPT confused advance directives with advanced directives though. Go err is not only human.
Great point: since it only knows what it has read, it will pick up any widespread errors B
What is the difference?? I’ve never heard of one!
I’ve asked ChatGPT the question: “What is the difference between an advance directive and an advanced directive?” It came up with quite an elaborate answer. Hightlights:
“An advance directive and an advanced directive are terms that are often used interchangeably, but they typically refer to the same thing.”
“The correct term is “advance directive.” There is no such thing as an “advanced directive” in the context of healthcare planning.”
Thanks, Robert – I love it :-) A perfect example of where GPT gets its ideas (flaws and all) and its tendency to correct itself, which means it’s useful to ask again.
Wow! To try that, I just pasted the above outline into a new ChatGPT-4 session and asked it to check for errors or important missing topics. The response blew me away – I’ll blog it today!
I asked it to be more specific about “Studies show” that informed patients do better. The reply is great – I hope to find time to blog it separately!
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Good morning! In an earlier chat about patient empowerment, you said “Studies show that patients who are engaged and informed often have better health outcomes.” Can you give me some of those studies?
ChatGPT:
Of course! Empowering patients and engaging them in their care has been the focus of many studies over the years. Here are some key studies and articles that have explored this topic:
1. Hibbard, J. H., Stockard, J., Mahoney, E. R., & Tusler, M. (2004). Development of the Patient Activation Measure (PAM): Conceptualizing and measuring activation in patients and consumers. Health services research, 39(4 Pt 1), 1005-1026.
This paper introduced the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) which assesses a person’s knowledge, skill, and confidence in managing their health. Studies using PAM found that higher patient activation levels are associated with better health outcomes.
2. Hibbard, J. H., Greene, J., & Overton, V. (2013). Patients with lower activation associated with higher costs; delivery systems should know their patients’ ‘scores’. Health Affairs, 32(2), 216-222.
This study found that patients with lower activation had higher healthcare costs.
3. Greene, J., & Hibbard, J. H. (2012). Why does patient activation matter? An examination of the relationships between patient activation and health-related outcomes. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 27(5), 520-526.
This study delves into the impact of patient activation on health behaviors and outcomes, including clinical indicators, and preventive behavior.
4. Mosen, D. M., Schmittdiel, J., Hibbard, J., Sobel, D., Remmers, C., & Bellows, J. (2007). Is patient activation associated with outcomes of care for adults with chronic conditions? The Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, 30(1), 21-29.
This study found that patients with higher activation levels were more likely to perform self-management behaviors, have clinical indicators within the normal range, and have lower healthcare utilization.
5. Street, R. L. Jr., Makoul, G., Arora, N. K., & Epstein, R. M. (2009). How does communication heal? Pathways linking clinician–patient communication to health outcomes. Patient education and counseling, 74(3), 295-301.
This paper discusses the pathways through which clinician-patient communication can lead to better health outcomes.
6. Epstein, R. M., Fiscella, K., Lesser, C. S., & Stange, K. C. (2010). Why the nation needs a policy push on patient-centered health care. Health Affairs, 29(8), 1489-1495.
This piece highlights the potential of patient-centered care to improve the quality of care, reduce costs, and decrease disparities in healthcare outcomes.
7. Coulter, A., & Ellins, J. (2007). Effectiveness of strategies for informing, educating, and involving patients. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 335(7609), 24-27.
This review explored various strategies for patient involvement and found that well-informed patients can make choices and manage their own health better than less informed ones.
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It’s worth noting that while there is robust evidence supporting patient empowerment and engagement, the manner in which this is best achieved can vary based on individual circumstances, cultural factors, and healthcare system specifics.