This week at the hospital… 

I had a patient (in his 70s) who came in with lower extremity swelling, pain, and redness.  He had scraped his shin on a piece of furniture and it had become inflamed and painful.  He came to the hospital after being placed on antibiotics for the injury but it just kept getting worse.  He eventually developed a massive hematoma (collection of blood under the skin) which resulted in pressure in the leg from swelling, compromising his already irritated (and fragile) skin.  The hematoma eventually burst, requiring surgical consultation.  A complicated hospital course, right? I sat and spoke with this patient for a long time about how the injury occurred and about his medical history, which was lengthy.  He was not clear on how each condition was related to the other.  He thought that each body system (cardiac, endocrine, vascular) was acting independently of the other.  Major misconception.   

We can do better with patient education.  We can empower our patients to make better choices by giving them a better understanding of what is happening in their own body.  It’s my observation that frequently, patients feel that diseases/illness are happening to them, when in reality it is the actions, we take as individuals that affect our health outcomes.  It is our duty as healthcare providers to educate our patients, assisting them in making the best decision possible.   There are times when accomplishing this seems impossible, presenting information to our patients can be challenging.  It’s not a one size fits all approach.  We would do better to first to assess their level of baseline knowledge and cater our approach differently to each individual.  We need to meet them where they are.  Far too often, I observe providers brushing past the important details when educating their patients.  If we don’t try to understand the most appropriate method to communicate with those we care for, we are missing the mark…by a lot.