Humanizing healthcare

One of the core principles of Occupy Healthcare is that “patients, families and communities should be at the center of all healthcare.” In many ways over the last several decades patients and those who support them have been marginalized in the healthcare system.  Processes and practices have been put in place at all levels of the system that make it difficult for patients to access information, to be involved in their own treatment decisions and, perhaps most importantly, develop meaningful relationships with their care providers.

We need to humanize healthcare.

Patient centered organizations have been working at this for some time.  Here are some simple ways that any:

• Engaging in narrative medicine to learn the patient’s larger story
• Sharing the patient’s medical record with them during care and treatment so that they can be involved in making informed decisions and their care
• Inviting family members and friends to be part of the healthcare team
• Removing barriers such as restricted visiting hours to allow family members and friends to visit when and for how long the patient desires

Humanizing healthcare should become a rallying cry.  It’s simple, it’s easy and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. Humanizing healthcare is real and sustainable transformation that can come from the inside.  It doesn’t require legislation or executive order or even an overhaul of the third-party payer system.  Humanizing healthcare benefits not only the patient by making them more involved in their own care but it also helps healthcare professionals reclaim the meaningful work that led them to a career in healthcare.  Healthcare organizations will also benefit through increased HACHPS scores and better margins.

How have you begun to humanize healthcare already where you work and practice?