The Benefits of Personalized Practices for Private Doctors
How long does the average patient have to explain their symptoms to their doctor?
According to a recent study, about 11 seconds. Even worse, only one in three doctors give their patients any opportunity at all to explain their medical concerns during a consultation.
Clearly, there’s a lot of room for improvement when it comes to patient-doctor communication. This is one reason why more people are choosing private doctors over larger practices.
If you’re starting a private practice or you’ve already established yourself in your local medical community, how can you ensure you give your patients what they want? Here are three reasons why you need to personalize patient care.
1. Health Is Personal
If you listen to the “experts,” everyone needs the same things. All of us should eat a Mediterranean diet, go to the gym five days a week, and take a daily aspirin to prevent a heart attack.
But does all of this generalized advice take into account the things that are unique to each individual? Hardly. If you’re allergic to shellfish or you’re not at high risk for heart disease, the advice above is not in your best interest.
Patients want to feel that their doctor takes the time to really listen to their concerns. More importantly, they want solutions to their health problems that are tailored to work for themas an individual.
Being able to offer personalized treatment options is one of the best perks of running a private practice — you can read more here about it. In a nutshell, private practice doctors have the freedom and ability to give the personalized care patients seek.
2. Customization Empowers the Patient
In many medical settings, there’s a huge gap between the average layperson seeking healing and the “all-knowing” healthcare professionals who always know what’s best.
Again, this simply doesn’t translate into real life. For the best outcome, the patient needs to be informed and involved in every step of the healing process.
For example, a patient who’s encouraged to open up to a private practice therapist has a better chance of getting the help they need for PTSD. Another patient struggling with chronic disease will feel empowered if they’re given options for their treatment and follow-up care (rather than just being told what to do).
3. Higher Chance of Better Outcomes
In addition to earning patient trust and building a thriving medical practice, personalizing care has an even greater reward — better treatment outcomes.
If you know your patient has Celiac disease, for example, you know that recommending a wheat-heavy Mediterranean diet won’t help them to feel better. Instead, you’ll recommend a gluten-free diet and other practical lifestyle changes to help them achieve optimal health.
Patient-centric care also focuses more on preventative medicine, enabling your patients to adopt a proactive approach to their healthcare needs.
Personalized Medicine for Private Doctors
No one wants to feel like a number or just another set of vital stats. Unfortunately, this is exactly how many patients feel.
Private doctors have the chance to do something different with their practices. By offering personalized treatment plants, they can provide better care and quality of life for all their patients.
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