My uncle faced challenges and fear in choosing the right doctor and paying for healthcare when making decisions. This happened due to the lack of resources since he could not use online reviews and, therefore, had to rely on the experiences of his few friends and neighbors. As he explained, trying different options cost him a lot of money, such as doctor’s services and prescription drug coverage, and he had to renew his health insurance to protect himself from other unexpected, high medical costs. Namely, the extent of costs was staggering for him, about five hundred fifty dollars a month, given his annual income and the range of expenses that he could afford, being more than his insurance could cover. Moreover, the uncle said that he experienced quite a several difficulties accessing the information due to his lack of skills. Finally, ensuring empowerment was difficult because my uncle had a relatively basic understanding of proper self-care. However, he managed to develop a more thorough understanding of his condition and the means of managing it.
Self-determination is the process of giving patients written information concerning their right to self-determine their treatment under state law. The emphasis on promoting self-determination was one of the advantages of the chosen healthcare provider. In particular, the ability to make decisions regarding healthcare management and the search for affordable treatment options have proved to be very effective. The patient was asked to explore the possibilities of various treatment options in written form, which included available alternative medicine. In general, my uncle found a doctor who encouraged his independence as a patient, therefore, provided fostered self-determination.
Henceforth, the doctor’s decisions reflected adherence to the best evidence-based practice. The evidence-based practice formed the central part of the treatment, as it was based on problem-solving therapy. For example, with the help of a specialist, my uncle was able to make decisions concerning the development of medical literacy and understanding the consequences of taking medications. In this process, he was assisted by the scientific literature based on the data provided and helped by the doctor’s consultation. In addition, he actively searched for important information about alternative treatment options and consulted his doctor. Nevertheless, the lack of time that the uncle’s doctor spent on consultations and patient education was an alarming sign.
Cost-containment policies such as clarifications about the condition and the key steps and medicines were implemented to maintain expense levels to prevent unnecessary spending. Apart from these guidelines, the attempt at introducing telemedicine-based treatment opportunities deserved appreciation. Additionally, the doctor encouraged fostered self-determination in the patient by assisting him in developing skills needed to use digital tools for maintaining communication with healthcare providers. Moreover, the approach to cost containment could have used improvements since the doctor offered multiple tests that were ultimately unnecessary and costly.
The focus on self-determination was a crucial positive aspect of the received therapy. Nevertheless, greater attention to patients and their needs could have been a vital improvement (Hartman et al., 2018). AANP’s and CANP’s values and mission underline that medical specialists need to provide accessible, patient-centered, high-quality health care through practices and education. Therefore, means of improving the current problem of time management in addressing patient-specific needs need to be addressed, which my uncle faced while seeking a specialist. Specifically, the reduced consultation time that a doctor spends per patient should be seen as a problem requiring a solution. One should consider this case as evidence of the need for active family support for aging patients so that the latter could be guided in obtaining vital information while using unfamiliar digital tools. Therefore, ensuring that all family members remain educated about the patient’s health issues and supporting the patient’s recovery is critical.
Reference
Hartman, M., Martin, A. B., Espinosa, N., Catlin, A., & National Health Expenditure Accounts Team. (2018). National health care spending in 2016: Spending and enrollment growth slow after initial coverage expansions. Health Affairs, 37(1), 150-160. Web.