Every professional physician should have highly developed case management skills. Patients trust doctors with their health and often even their lives. Therefore, physicians need to understand the level of responsibility assigned to them. They are the personalities on which patients entirely rely. They have all the information about the patient’s condition and know how to deal with diseases. They behave politely and professionally, showing themselves to be reliable professionals. Their highest value is human life, and they use all available resources to preserve it. The combination of these skills in case management allows practitioners to treat patients successfully and increase patient confidence.
Scenario 4 of the Hart City Case Study provides a prime example of good case management. The doctor behaves politely and responsibly with the patient (Case Management Society of America, 2017). She clarifies with the patient every detail of questions and doubts in order to better understand it. She praises and assists the patient in planning, encouraging the right way of living. In this way, she manifests herself as a professional and empathic person, ready to help and guide the patient. Thus, patients feel confident and will not make mistakes related to health or other issues.
It is difficult to find negative aspects in this dialogue since the doctor behaved in a truly professional manner and communicated with the patient properly. However, perhaps she should have been less persistent, for example, with help with choosing an occupation. This way, the patient would feel freer and could offer her own ideas for employment. Overall, however, this dialogue is an example of good case management. This is how polite, professional, and informative communication with patients should be.
Reference
Case Management Society of America (2017). Hart City Case Study – Scenario 4 [Program transcript].