When patient advocacy and speech pathology collide

I've been working as a youth representative for Trapeze for a few years now, and have found that patient advocacy has become a huge part of my life.
As a part of this role I recently made this short spiel on the importance of providing care that is age and stage appropriate. Huge steps are being taken toward making youth friendly services for young people with chronic illness, which is very exciting!

(Apologies for the loud clang at the beginning. I'm uncoordinated even when sitting down)

I've spent quite a lot of time lately wondering how I can make my interests work together. Speech pathology and patient advocacy for young people with chronic illness. They just didn't seem to gel together the way I'd like.

Now that I don't have placement on I've found myself with time. Instead of using this like a normal person would (by relaxing), I chose to apply for a scholarship and write a voluntary essay this past week.

Sounds insane. It probably is. But from doing all of this writing I think I've worked out the link between my interests. Holistic client care. The reason I'm so vocal about patient welfare is because often people are grouped by their condition. Age is one factor that makes us different, but there are many others. Things like our personality types, goals, jobs, self-demands, and lifestyles are huge, and they're often missed. To me, a good health professional is one who takes the whole person approach, and I'd like to apply that to my practice as an allied health professional as well.

I'm interested in hearing your views- have you ever encountered the experience I described? What is the making of a good health professional for you?
Maybe one day there could be an industry standard, where we can make a comprehensive rundown of the person we're treating rather than the condition. File summaries exist but there must be another way to truly represent the person being treated. Maybe it will be the e-health record, who knows.

What could work for you?

Comments

  1. For me, I want two two things in a great health care provider.

    1. I demand humor. I am of the age where if something isn't fun, (including visiting with a health care provider) I don't do it. I have had serious all my life, I refuse to be serious now.

    2. They have to treat me like a partner, not a thing. I am a full functioning partner, I collaborate, I am never preached too or talked at.

    I doubt that helps, but it is what i demand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Those are excellent points. Absolutely essential to never be treated as unequal. After all, we have the conditions! Thanks for your comment, Rick.

      Delete
  2. Im lucky in that my HCPs do treat me as a whole person & want to help me manage my conditions for my whole life. I ditch any HCPs who are quick to 'treat' without asking the questions about what that treatment will really get me.

    ReplyDelete

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