What are the benefits of getting patients involved in my efforts to improve care?

Perspective, credibility, and much more...

 
Patient, or consumer, engagement is a vital factor in the health care improvement equation. Integrating patients into efforts to improve care can result in better-quality care and also transforms the culture of health care by changing the relationship between provider and patient.
 
- Reduced length of stay;
- Fewer fatal safety errors; 
- Better identification of “near misses;” and
- Improved population health by achieving higher rates of preventive care. 
 
Some other benefits of involving consumers:
- Patients’ feedback helps set priorities for the practice—Richard Engel, MD, Maine Medical Partners, Westbrook Internal Medicine
- We had expected that the Patient Advisory Council would help us identify ways to improve the care we provide to patients, but they also want to develop ways to help patients be better partners in their care—Scott Johnson, MD, Oregon Medical Group
- Committed consumer partners beget more consumer partners. Once patients begin to feel useful and see first-hand the benefits of their participation, they often reach out to other patients to get involved.
 
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