Patient Appreciation Through Patient Centeredness Published Feb. 26, 2016 By Prerana Korpe Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- If you are a patient, as most of us are during our lives, the more engaged you are in your care, the better the outcome you will most likely receive. Accordingly, the Air Force Medical Service is launching several initiatives that focus on patients and encourage them to become active partners in their health care. For the AFMS, patient appreciation has evolved into a continuing cultural shift. “We show our appreciation for our patients by providing patient-and family-centered care,” said Col. (Dr.) John Oh, chief, Preventive Medicine, Air Force Medical Support Agency, and co-lead for Trusted Care, Patient Centeredness. “Patients are at the center of all that we do.” Patient engagement is a vital part of Patient Centeredness, a key domain of Trusted Care, the AFMS’ system of care which delivers safe, reliable, high quality clinical care across the care continuum. “Through Patient Centeredness, AFMS is committed to promoting activated, engaged patients who are partners in their health care,” said Col. Oh. “Patients and families must feel welcome and encouraged to ask questions, speak up, voice concerns and make known their preferences.” Trusted Care identifies patients and families as critical partners in ensuring safe care. Providing safe care, meeting patient expectations and achieving Zero Harm cannot be done to patients, but must be done in partnership with patients. According to DoD guidance, activated patients are less likely to experience a medical error or suffer a health consequence as the result of poor communication. Open communication between the patient and provider is critical to patient safety. Dialogue encompasses all aspects of care, ranging from how a patient would like to be addressed, to a patient’s understanding of how to properly take a prescribed medication. The AFMS is working to strengthen collaboration between patients and their health care team, as a means to delivering the highest standard of safe, comprehensive and compassionate care. One initiative to further this aim is development of Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs). Several Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs), such as Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, have established PFACs, which encourage patients and families to provide feedback on the patient and family experience, including recommendations for continuous process improvement. “PFACs across AFMS can help MTF staff better understand the needs, values and preferences of patients and families,” said Col. Oh. A highly functioning PFAC would allow for delivery of patient feedback directly into the hands of MTF leadership. While initiatives like service delivery surveys currently exist, AFMS is also pushing forth a variety of innovations to support Patient Centeredness and improve customer service. Text-Me-Now is one such program, developed and launched by Altus AFB, Okla. If patients have a complaint or issue in real time, they are able to text a patient advocate directly, and a staff member will appear, meet with the patient and respond in real time. The program achieved such an outstanding level of customer satisfaction that Laughlin AFB, Texas, decided to adopt Text-Me-Now. “Within the first three months of implementation, we saw a double-digit increase in the percentage of people stating they were completely satisfied –meaning a rating of five-out-of-five in overall customer satisfaction,” said Kenneth Wiese, Director of Quality Services, Laughlin AFB. Text-Me-Now promotes open communication and enables health care teams to immediately resolve patient concerns. “It comes down to transparency,” said Lt. Christopher Foote, TRICARE Operations and Patient Administration (TOPA) flight commander and group patient advocate, at Laughlin. “Often times, all a patient wants to know is why we are running behind.” “We encourage patients to keep in mind and put into practice open communication with their health care team –by speaking up, asking questions and staying engaged,” said Col. Oh. USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)