Health care has gone through many paradigm shifts in the past few years with focus on quality and containing the skyrocketing costs. As many more citizens find access to health care and insurance (7.1 million signed up under the Affordable Care Act) and the Baby Boom generation moves into the later stages of life, many more challenges will be felt by the industry. The focus has changed from a sick care delivery system to a wellness system. Patients are charged with the responsibility for their own health status and to do this they need education. That education has to include not only disease management and medication reconciliation, but specific instructions…
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Core Competencies and the Continuum of Care
The high cost of health care has to be managed. This requires patients to learn about their own health conditions, and how to manage them appropriately so as to avoid setbacks and complications. Patients must take responsibility for their health status and practice wellness. In order to do this, patients have to be well educated about their medical status. Across the continuum of health care, patient education begins in the physician’s office and carries through to the after hours care, the urgent care and emergency room, the hospitalists and the home health care team. Each professional and team builds on the education and assessment of the patient’s status and how…