Patient compliance is a challenging issue for the medical professional. Your desire to help your patients succeed is often derailed when they don’t do their part. Get a jump-start in January and use the New Year’s motivating force to your advantage!
Use these seven strategies to motivate patients to change, and help them meet their healthcare goals:
1. Set simple goals. You know where your patients need to be and the steps it will take to get there, so break their big goals into smaller ones and present them one at a time. For example, if you’re a physical therapist and know your patient’s end goal is to walk again, break that down into manageable goals that your patient can meet. It will be less overwhelming for your patient to reach a smaller milestone, and the progress will be a motivating factor in continuing their regimen at home.
2. Educate patients with handouts. Keep brochures on hand relating to a variety of health conditions. Then hand them out to patients, highlighting any important statistics or tips that relate directly to them. For example, seeing the mortality rate from heart disease might persuade your patient to maintain a better diet.
3. Make community connections. If you know of a community service your patient would benefit from, provide them the necessary info to get connected. For instance, if your patient needs help losing weight, a support group for overeaters might make a difference. Sometimes just a little extra support is all they need to stay motivated between appointments.
4. Host a workshop. Host a workshop that educates patients how to live with their chronic condition. For example, if you serve a large diabetic or cardiac patient base where diet is crucial to managing the diseases, offer a free workshop on how to read and interpret food labels and uncover the hidden dangers of certain foods.
5. Give homework. Make sure your patients know their success is largely in their own hands. Tell them exactly what they need to do at home, and let them know you’ll be checking their progress at the next appointment. Give your patients an exercise or diet journal to log their progress and hold them accountable to bring it to every visit.
6. Keep in touch. Make sure to schedule regular follow-ups with your patients and consider having a receptionist phone or email to check on them between appointments. Let them know they can call or email with any questions or concerns between appointments, too. The added attention will boost their motivation.
7. Eliminate obstacles. Does your patient have a cognitive or physical challenge impairing his/her ability to follow your medication or therapy regimen? For example, maybe he/she doesn’t understand medication dosing guidelines, can’t tolerate certain pill sizes or have difficulty opening medication bottles. Knowing of an impairment is the first step in removing it.
Practice Builders can help you motivate and educate your patients. Just email us at info@practicebuilders.com or call us at 855-898-2710 today for a free marketing consult. Whether you need brochures, webinars or blogs, we’ve got the tools you need to help your patients meet their health goals.