As a healthcare provider, you know when your patients need to transition to the next level of care. If you are a pain management provider, keeping your clients engaged in their treatment plan involves a myriad of communication skills, effective planning and strategizing, and ensuring that proper expectations are set.

People with chronic pain may already start their pain management journey with a less-than-optimistic attitude. Chronic pain affects a person’s physical and mental health. Even though you are attempting to help alleviate their suffering, it’s important to remember that any resistance you meet may be due to previous experiences, failed interventions, and the continual pain they live with every day.

According to Dr. Brandon Claflin of Oklahoma Interventional Spine & Pain, there are several ways to promote patient engagement in the pain management arena.

Five Ways To Keep Patients Engaged in Their Treatment Plans

At first, a patient may be excited about a new treatment plan. Over time, and in the course of experimentation with new treatments, they may get disheartened and lose interest in the plan. 

Here are five ways to help keep them engaged:

1. Communicate Effectively

Explain every aspect of a treatment plan to a new patient before you ask them to agree to it. Make sure they understand how long the personalized treatment plan will last, how frequently it will be reviewed and reevaluated, and whether or not you plan on making adjustments.

Make certain your patients understand the terms you use, the invasiveness of any procedures they’ll undergo, and whether or not they will be able to use insurance. To gauge a patient’s knowledge and ability to help manage their case, consider using a standardized form. Some providers use the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) survey, Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ), My Health Confidence scale, and similar. 

Next, tell them who their contact will be for questions, calls, emails, and support. If their point of contact isn’t you, make sure they know the staff member who will be in contact with them most.

2. Remain Empathetic

Chronic pain patients have often lived with their condition for months or even years by the time they seek the help of a pain management specialist. They are worn out and may be feeling hopeless. Try to remain positive without forcing them to change their feelings. We don’t want to suggest that they are exaggerating their pain or not feeling as poor as they suggest.

3. Listen

Many patients feel their healthcare providers don’t listen to them or that they listen but don’t address their concerns. Listening to your patients, especially after a new treatment or therapy is introduced, can help you adjust their treatment plan and can help you see more successful outcomes with your patients. Paying attention to patient feedback can make them feel validated and help them trust you with their healthcare. 

4. Set Realistic Expectations

It may be unrealistic to tell a patient you can completely alleviate all their pain. Most patients suffering from chronic pain are simply looking for relief. It is important to talk to your patients about their goals and what you may realistically be able to do for them. 

A thorough examination, a discussion of their injuries or previous issues, and a review of their medical history can help you understand your patient’s current situation. Then, you can better set an expectation of what you could offer. 

5. Be Clear About Their Role

Patients play a big role in their healthcare. Your patient must understand their role in the treatment plan you create. Showing up for appointments, undergoing necessary procedures and therapies, responding to communication, and giving feedback are part of a patient’s responsibility in the treatment plan. 

Keep Your Door Open

Patients want to know they are being heard and that their case is not just getting lost in a shuffle of other patients. You can keep your patients engaged in treatment by communicating effectively and remaining open to listening to them. 

Patient engagement doesn’t only exist in the context of the exam room; it starts in the front office, on the phone with your staff, with scheduling emails, and more. Work with your staff and HR team to come up with a standardized protocol and training for dealing with patients so the whole team has a clear communication standard. 

With dedication and careful work, you can help set the stage for positive patient experiences. 

Sources 

1. Patient-Centered Pain Management Communication from the Patient Perspective | PMC 
2. Women’s Health: Why do women feel unheard? | NIHR Evidence 
3. When Patients Don’t Feel Heard By Their Doctor | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School of Public Health