Standing Guard on the Front Line of your Patient’s Health

Standing Guard on the Front Line of your Patient’s Health
Not only does a nurse practitioner play a vital role into the wellness of their patients, but also their passion for the field keeps them abreast on the latest and greatest resources that their patients can benefit from. When patients begin the search for a family care physician, knowing the candidates, their personalities, reputations, backgrounds and the amenities and services provided by their hospitals will help nurse practitioners pair patients with the perfect match.
Top of the Class May Be Bottom of the Barrel
Finding a great physician is not as easy as shopping for a new TV with surround sound—you just can’t sit in front of them for 20 seconds and determine if they are a winner. In an article by The New York Times, finding Dr. Right can be a hectic journey pitted with disappointment. The author states that there are very few good quality measures in place to asses individual doctors so that consumers can do research on what they hope to find in a physician they feel comfortably towards. Some patients may want a doctor who was at the top of his graduating class, while others want someone with rave bedside manner reviews. Some patients even look for a doctor who actively publishes and attends seminars as part of his/her continuing education. Knowing the various physicians in your industry will not only be an asset to them, but you will be helping your patients in finding the right doctor by avoiding many hurdles.
Tips for Promoting and Pairing
Of course it goes without saying that you would recommend a patient-physician pairing based on the patient’s individual chart and family life. These days, women are seeking out doctors who are affiliated with a women’s wellness center. Whether they are about to start a family, or they need emotional / psychological health care, women’s wellness centers are becoming increasingly popular. Consider these treatment types and how they play a role into your patient:

·      Fertility treatment

·      Hormone replacement therapy

·      Weight loss

·      Chronic Fatigue treatment

·      Well Woman exams and pap smears

·      Emotional and psychological care

·      Nutrition

Female patients utilize almost all of these preventative and re-occurring therapies. Knowing the doctors and their reputations who offer these services will help you pair your patient to a doctor as if you were selecting the perfect wine to go with that wedge of brie.

Build Better Relationships
If you are truly fortunate, your workplace will have that family-orientated feel to it where doctors, nurse practitioners, techs and the nursing staff all work together in harmony while providing the best care to their patients. Unfortunately, this is a rarity, as the hierarchal pyramid of entitlement still stands. However, this atmosphere does exist in some places.  You can help strengthen ties with your colleagues by taking the time to learn about them and what their patients are saying. When you refer a patient to a doctor, not only are you strengthening that relationship with the patient, you are reinforcing the links that bind you to the physician. It doesn’t take a lot of time to read up on the inner workings of your health care institute, and know the medical roster. By taking the time to do some research, you are standing even firmer on the front line of your patient’s health.
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