Ill health often comes with discomfort and pain. As a result, ill health provides the affected individuals with an impetus to seek prompt medical attention. In the process of seeking medical attention, several factors connive to influence the efficacy of the treatment received. These include the health care delivery system, the setting of the treatment process, and the physician-patient relationship (Taylor, 2012).
In a situation where each of these factors is consistent with the patient’s expectations, it is highly likely to register positive health changes. For instance, if the setting is right, that is, if the physician devotes time to create an aura of friendliness around the treatment process, the probability of obtaining a positive response from the patient is very high. The friendliness evokes a feeling of security and confidence among patients (Taylor, 2012). Consequently, the patient can open and share the symptoms with the physician even if they are embarrassing in nature. Further, a friendly setting gives patients solace, which cushions them against painful treatment procedures.
The duty of a patient when an illness occurs is to seek medical attention promptly. Due to the pain and discomfort that come with most illnesses, the health care delivery system should also respond to a patient’s quest for medical attention commensurately. In any case, patient satisfaction is a fundamental aspect of the whole treatment process. A healthcare delivery system that responds to the needs of a patient immediately goes a long way in ensuring patient satisfaction (Taylor, 2012). Besides giving the patient the correct medication on time, this kind of system has a positive psychological effect on patients. This psychological effect may not be directly delineable, but it does exist. The principle behind the positive health effects of an efficient health care delivery system is similar to the effect of placebos on patients (Thompson, 2005).
As noted earlier, patient satisfaction is critical to successful treatment. In the overall sense, it does not really matter if a physician administers high quality treatment since patients base their judgment on physician-patient interaction. Consequently, a timid physician passes as unfriendly and incompetent regardless of their professional competence (Taylor, 2012). An exuberant physician on the other hand, passes as friendly and competent. It is thus imperative for physicians to observe all the heuristics that pertain to effective physician-patient interaction. Doing so promotes adherence to the prescribed treatment regimen since a patient feels motivated. This motivation can be especially beneficial in cases where adherence is problematic (Taylor, 2012). In addition, when patients feel that the healthcare provider is caring, they become very cooperative. This way, a physician is highly unlikely to give wrong prescriptions. Further, the soothing effect of a fruitful interaction between a healthcare provider and a patient also boosts the patient’s confidence in the treatment process (Thompson, 2005).
Although much attention is focused on healthcare providers, the patient also needs to facilitate the provider-patient interaction. Patient behavior directly influences the kind of treatment the patient receives and, by extension, the efficacy of the treatment. For instance, difficult patients who relentlessly frustrate the physician’s efforts to understand their condition may end up with a faulty prescription (Taylor, 2012). Similarly, patients who lack knowledge about their condition are likely to receive the wrong treatment owing to their inability to articulate non-observable symptoms. Therefore, patient behavior is crucial in the treatment process. While in the physician’s hands, patients ought to be amenable so that standard treatment procedures are followed. Further, self-care has become an important element of healthcare, but it calls for the ability to understand instructions. Strict adherence to the physician’s instructions leads to better response to treatment. Therefore, resourcefulness from both the patient and the healthcare provider is desirable since it yields a synergistic effect that positively influences the health of a patient.
References
Taylor, S. E. (2012). Health psychology (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Thompson, W. G. (2005). The placebo effect and health. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.