2 research outputs found
More Than a Diagnosis: Enabling Medical Students to Understand and Address the Patient’s Psychological Needs
Patient-centered care is a framework for providing medical services in a humanistic, patient-focused manner. Although there are many proposed dimensions, it is simply the perspective of caring for the patient as a person with psychosocial needs, not just a diagnosis. Extensive literature review was completed to gain understanding of the application of patient-centered care in undergraduate medical education, as well as the evidence behind implementing patient-centered methods. Aspects of patient-centered care may be taught in many medical schools but their importance warrants a stronger focus. Incorporating aspects of patient- centered care is not only most ethical, but also is also associated with improved patient outcomes and patient satisfaction. Because measures of patient satisfaction are newly considered in Medicare reimbursements, there are financial implications as well. A wide range of strategies is used to teach patient-centered principles, but no single method is widely accepted or considered best practices. For best results, cultural changes in medical institutions supporting psychosocial awareness are necessary