Patient Engagement and Involvement

Remember when choosing a nutrition plan, you need to consider not only the overall nutritional value of it, but how well you feel you would be able to stick to it.

Here's what to know...

1. The Premise. The idea behind this diet is the food guide pyramid switched around so...

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Many times I have heard physicians and other providers lament that the outcomes for their patients would be so much better if they could "get them to listen and follow instructions." They understand that they can be most effective in treating patients if the patients would follow all of their directions.

Do the physicians' or care providers' responsibilities end with this wish? Can physicians do more than just hope and pray for best outcomes after they deliver directions to their patients? Should providers be more actively involved in helping patients achieve optimal outcomes, providing support after an office visit or after discharge from a hospital? At present more care providers are becoming increasingly involved in helping patients follow orders and in helping them alter lifestyles as needed. This can be seen especially in patient-centered medical homes.

Recent studies provide good reasons why providers should be active in helping patients follow directions. Consider the following facts pulled from various sources:

Only 1 in 10 patients are health literate enough to adequately care for their own health, according to a reprot from the National Center for Biostatistics

The Commonwealth Fund in several studies has found that a growing number of adults avoided a doctor or did not fille a prescription. In 2010, 23.1% reported not filling a prescription in the previous 12 months and 27% skipped tests or treatments.

According to a December 7, 2013 report in Modern Healthcare Dr. Warren Licht of North Shore-Long Island Jewish stated that "When patients are in doctors' offices, they (might) hear 50% of what's being said and maybe their relative hears another 30%, but they walk away without 20%.

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Exercise in recovery from mental illness, addiction or trauma is critical if a person is to have any hope of returning to a normal, healthy life. Personal recovery begins during clinical recovery (treatment), but continues long afterward, and incorporating exercise and physical activity into this process can help in many ways.

The Challenges of Recovery

For many people, the personal recovery process can last for years, decades or even a lifetime. The major focus of personal recovery is the development of a positive identity and the ability to view the illness as a part of the person, but not as the whole person. Individuals in treatment and recovery often view themselves in terms of their diagnosis, but that cycle must be broken. A young woman may see and label herself as an anorexic, rather than someone who has anorexia. At the same time, the individual must develop the ability to manage her mental illness. Treatment teams can provide all the education and teach the skills necessary, but it is ultimately up to the individual to do this work. Scientific research has identified a variety of tools that assist in the recovery process, but exercise is shown to be one of the most effective tools for helping during this challenging time of transition.