Patient-centred care at Wickford & Woodbridge Chiropratic

Patient-Centred Care in Chiropractic

“…Every patient you see is a lesson in much more than the malady from which he suffers.” – William Osler[i]

You may have heard ‘patient-centred care’ in hospitals and other clinical settings, but what does the term actually mean?  In this post, we will look at some of the theory and practice behind the patient-centred approach and how it can support the treatment we offer at Wickford and Woodbridge Chiropractic Clinics.

Patient-centred care is part of our ethical approach to our practice and puts the patients’ preferences, values and needs first.  As well as being ethical, this approach has been shown to improve health outcomes significantly.  The term ‘person-centred’ was made famous in the 1940s by psychologist Carl Rogers, when his theory of person-centred psychotherapy became influential.  Rogers proposed that empathy, respect and a non-directive approach—allowing patients to share and explore their experiences— led to better psychological outcomes than the classical psychoanalysis. This began to influence other forms of medicine, encouraging doctors to see patients as individuals, not just as cases or diseases.

 

Prior to Rogers’ work, the cliché of the consultant on a hospital ward round, talking about the patient to the junior doctors as if the patient wasn’t in the room, was often accurate.  Many of us were brought up to think of doctors and other medical professionals as ‘the expert in the room’, with almost godlike powers to diagnose our complaints and to tell us what to do.  In some ways this was a comforting model, but there is no doubt that it led to patients suffering unnecessarily, for example with medications that did not suit them.  It also led to patients seeing themselves as powerless to help themselves, rather than be actively involved in their own recovery.

Modern patient-centred care sees the patient and practitioner in partnership, working together to reach the best outcome for the patient.  You might ask how you, the patient, can meaningfully be an equal partner in the process without medical training.  Well, as a team of chiropractors, physiotherapists, osteopaths and massage therapists, collectively we have many decades of experience in how the human body works, but YOU will still be the best expert on your own experience of your symptoms and how your treatment is supporting them.

As individuals we are all unique and our how we experience things is affected by our different experiences.  Studying for a Diploma in Pain Management over the last year has highlighted this to me.

The patient-centred approach can lead to the following:

  1. Better Treatment Adherence: Active involvement in creating your treatment plan and understanding the rationale behind it, can make you more likely to follow through with treatments, medications and lifestyle changes. This can lead to faster recoveries and fewer complications.
  2. Improved Communication and Trust: Knowing you will be listened to and taken seriously can be a huge help in building trust and communication.  Discussing symptoms, side effects and any other concerns can help us to adjust your treatment plan and catch issues early.
  3. Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Feeling your concerns have been understood and that you are supported can lower stress levels, which can contribute positively to physical recovery. Stress management is particularly important for chronic conditions, as high stress can exacerbate symptoms and the body’s inflammation response.

Patient-centred care aligns brilliantly with the holistic aspect of chiropractic, encompassing physical, emotional and environmental issues, rather than just the affected area of the body.

So, what does this look like in practice?  Well, you can expect to be listened to when describing your issues, by a supportive and non-judgemental practitioner.  You can expect to receive clear information on treatment options, pros and cons and to be empowered to make informed decisions about what is right for you.  And you can be confident that if we feel you may benefit from a referral to another practitioner, we have lots of experience and expertise in signposting and facilitating this.  We won’t pressure you to accept our advice but we will treat you with respect and compassion and we will ask for your feedback.  In fact, all our patients receive regular patient satisfaction questionnaires and patients can also opt-in to Care Response system where we can  evaluate (anonymously) how you have responded to any treatment you may have received and what the experience was like for you.

Rebecca Willard

[i] William Osler: Aequanimitas “The Student Life” 1914:425. (1849 – 1919)