People need access to affordable and high quality professional care. Therefore it is crucial to understand and embrace the future concept of patient’s care.
Internet and social media are used for a specific purpose –marketing, however the goal should be the education, perception and focus on empathy to our patients.Patients platforms and telemedicine will play the crucial role in the future, because vast majority of patients need their continuity originating in the hospital. In order to achieve this goal, we should strengthen the interdisciplinar cooperation among the various professional groups including nursing personel, students in the clinical practical year and primary care medical services.
Although, personal „vis-a-vis“ contact will and should remain superior with regard to the definitive decision making. The question is, how the technical solutions and future digitalization could make easier to find the appropriate „modus operandi“ for post-hospital care. What is the goal you want to achieve and identify the process that delivers patients to another level of care, after their discharge from the hospital.
The patients’ perspectives presented on the platforms may serve as a valid information source to improve healthcare services. We need to know what matters , what are the patient’s preferences, and adapt our treatment goals more accordingly. Last but not least, family background as well as family members should be involved in training and further educated about the needs of their relatives after treatment.
Treatment concepts have also changed over the last years: the length of stay has become shorter, therapy decisions can often be made faster and are adapted based on individual decission making.
However, one important aspect is often overlooked despite top medical treatment: our patients are individuals with personal fears, worries and a desire for empathetic care. In addition we should advise and guide their relatives, who want to know how they can participate and support their loved ones”
Peter Weibl
