Empowered patients typically achieve better health outcomes. Patient empowerment happens when:
- Healthcare professional and patient/care partner establish a positive relationship early in their relationship
- Healthcare professional shares treatment options in an easy to understand way and can adapt to differing communications preferences/styles
- Patient is treated as a partner and is encouraged, by their healthcare professional, to play an active role in healthcare decisions
- Healthcare professional and patient partner to determine best treatment path
- Patient feels in control when making healthcare decisions
Attributes of an empowered patient (as described by Healthcare professional):
- Patient can articulate their goals for care
- Patients are well-informed, in control, and deeply involved in decisions about their health
- Ask questions/seek information
- Have a strong social support system
Given that healthcare professionals typically have limited time to spend with their patients, particularly in the FQHC setting, they must find ways to save time while effectively and efficiently communicating with their patients. Healthcare professionals can facilitate shared decision making by listening to their patients’ concerns, actively asking about the patients’ goals for care, offering information/education in an easy to understand way, answer questions, and then letting the patient decide what they want to do.