"It's About Choices" -- Healthcare Spending and YOU

Today I went to one of my health care provider's clinics and ran into a former patient who now also is going there (for chronic fatigue).  I was happy to see him there because .. as you know if you've read my blog in the last few weeks .... Grand Junction is 'on the map' as a particularly progressive medical community.  I knew that before this patient was referred to me a few years ago, he had gone to the west coast to a clinic and I'd wished that he and his family had somehow been able to find 'us' (the local providers) before going to such expense, because we have quite a good group of doctors, psychologists and therapists of different types that we can route people to. 

He was unaware that I'd stopped seeing patients at the clinic and started Lumigrate.com in order to make the concepts I was providing in occupational therapy sessions related to the "occupation of health care" available to more than a handfull of people a day and my concerns for the increasing difficulties of an insurance-based occupational therapy practice.  I listened to what he has done in life and for his health since we worked together on his health care in therapy (learning to keep records of important notes, labs, studies) and was so grateful to have run into him because he not only is continuing to go to local providers, he told me about another clinic he has gone to back east and it's doctor which I had never heard of and plan to study up on since he had liked their program (and was finding additional expertise with our mutual provider).  

As you see in the 'YOU!' model on our home page, it shows the patient as chosing the providers they consult with for advise around them, putting the patient in the middle and therefore feeling empowered and having a feeling of 'self efficacy' ("I can be effective").  They not only have that 'role', they are the best one to be learning about other providers who might help them or someone they know, or other resources.  I wholeheartedly believe that patients are teachers to their providers by not only bringing them new resources (bringing in books, articles, or telling them about helpful websites), but by bringing with them their medical information from other providers, which the providers then can 'cross polinate' and learn from as well. 

Each provider is unique, just as each consumer is unique.  Each has their niche that is their area of expertise and strength -- some moreso than others, as some providers are 'generalists' and some are very 'specialized'.  And ALL are important to have on your team IF you need them.  Each one can 'shine their light' of knowledge onto your path of health and well-being and make it brighter, hopefully bringing you from chronic illness to chronic wellness, or keeping you well if you are.   

Years ago a woman attending the educational forum on fibromyalgia that Dr Young and I co-led walked in and handed me a book (therefore being the teacher in that moment) and excitedly said 'I wanted YOU to see this book!'  I didn't look at the author's name, just put it on my desk when I returned to my office.   I opened the book while on 'hold' on the phone and saw it was SO good, I looked to see the author's name, and it was my first MD in Denver, who I would not have been able to have worked as an OT had I not read about in the paper and selected to be on my 'team'.  He bundled me up when I had to travel to Grand Junction to work for over a week (when I needed weekly treatments at the time), with all that I needed to have another agreeable physician be able to do the progressive 'stuff' he was doing, and it changed the career path of the woman physician who had agreed to help me.  She in turn knew about the provider whose office I was at today, as they had been in residency together or around the same time and said 'there is a doctor in Grand Junction I want you to see'.  Where today, 12 years later,  I was very appreciative to learn about another book and clinic I'd never heard about, since that is the 'business of Lumigrate' .. to find those providers and help route people to good information (such as the blog about Dr. Teitelbaum and From Fatigued to Fantastic in the past when he spoke at the conference I was invited to present about my model of activated and empowered patients).  My teachers today were both the former patient and the provider and his staff -- it's a team for people to get well and we hopefully ALL want the same thing: healthy people. 

I hope that every provider or patient/consumer who reads this blog and visits Lumigrate.com will continue to shift to more comfort having the consumer/patient be having the central role of chosing their providers and want their patients to know about all their options, because if you feel like you are at the last of your list of things to try it is a very bleak place -- I have been there and know.  It is all of our jobs to keep our ears and eyes open for good information, talk with each other, chose our providers and know what we are needing to do each day an in the future perhaps for our health care and it's team.  That team changes -- mine thankfully has been reduced in recent years and it appears it has been reduced again as my place in that provider's schedule will be taken by someone more in need now.  It is important for providers to also know other providers and make their patients aware of other providers who might also be able to help them now or in the future.  I cross-shared many patients with other clinics in Grand Junction because sometimes we (OTAssistant and I) were not the only answer for that particular patient's needs. And other OTs did the same, as we had specialties they didn't, or maybe we had a different 'spin on it' and could help the patient. 

On facebook, I am 'friends' with the author of the link below and saw a post he had made about chronic pain (which is interesting information) and poked around and found the information I wanted to share with you today on chosing your health care disciplines and providers.  I think this is an EXCELLENT piece, so I wanted it to have a place on Lumigrate.com for YOU to be better educated consumers AND providers!  A critical piece I was glad was addressed was 'is it really going to help solve the problem or make you feel better temporarily' and as you will see, a very straightforward and complete list.

Please email through the website here any comments -- love to have feedback.

blog.rothbartsite.com/2009/08/13/spend-your-healthcare-dollars-wisely-by-choosing-the-right-healthcare-provider.aspx