Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Medical Team?

Most illnesses implicate the entire human system. Due to this, Better Health Advisors wholeheartedly believes that one’s medical assessment needs to take into account the whole body and mind. With a more wholistic approach to care, the entire person can be taken into account leading to better outcomes

A client of ours was recently diagnosed with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (“GERD”). His physicians were helpful in diagnosing and determining a plan for medication, treatment and nutrition guidelines. However, the patient continued to suffer and went back and forth with his doctor, unable to improve his condition.   When BHA was called upon, we facilitated the inclusion of a dietitian into the patient’s care team.  The dietician coordinated with the patient’s existing medical team, did a deep-dive into the patient’s diet, and created a unique and specialized meal plan, including the addition of supplements.  This approach quickly helped improve the patient’s symptoms and had him feeling immensely better. The dietician’s additional perspective, time and expertise was exactly what the patient needed to improve.  

Experienced health advisors have a strong history of working on teams in hospitals and other clinical settings, and are familiar with all available medical resources. They know when it is appropriate to bring other experts  in to support care and how to facilitate the group effort to improve care.

Here are just some other examples and how BHA includes others in the care of our clients:

• Physical Therapists- we often ask the referring doctors to have a warm hand-off to the treating physical therapist. We schedule a phone call to discuss care prior to the initial therapy appointment.
• Pharmacists - have great experience and the best knowledge in drug interactions and how to most effectively take and prescribe medication.
• Nurses - nurses have deep expertise in areas such as wound care, pain relief, medical education, and medication administration.
• Respiratory Therapists - work with patients to support breathing issues like asthma, or treatment after a heart attack.
• Trainers - help with wellness, strength, flexibility, and injury prevention.
• Physiatrists - the role of the physiatrist is to manage a patient's medical issues as they participate through the rehabilitation process.

Often times, it takes a team approach to fully understand a patient’s condition and to treat it appropriately. At BHA we are experienced and knowledgeable in exactly this, as our clients thrive under our holistic approach to health.