Values….what do I value in my healthcare providers and the healthcare process? (Ruthann Russo)

In determining the values that you want to drive your healthcare planning and decision making, ask yourself what are the most important attributes of your healthcare providers and the healthcare process that you are looking for? What matters most to you? It is important to remember that you are the “customer”. In healthcare, often we feel disadvantaged. This feeling can be due to any number of issues including our lack of expert knowledge, feeling less powerful because we are sick, or feeling less powerful because our bill is being paid by the insurance company and not us (in many or most cases). Keep this in mind. You are the customer, and the customer “rules”.

In all of my businesses, we always said, but for the customer, we would not exist. And, the customer is our source of value. It is the same in healthcare. Without the patient, the healthcare provider has no business, no purpose. Perhaps keeping this in mind will help you to feel more empowered when it feels like the balance of power is not in your favor. If we are to make a difference in our own healthcare and healthcare generally (someday), we all need to be more confident with the concept, more knowledgeable of the system and feel more in control. Knowledge is power, and only you have the ability to increase your knowledge and therefore, your power and control as you navigate your own way through the healthcare system.

As you are beginning to formulate your list of values, ask yourself again “what do I feel are the most important attributes of my physician and other healthcare providers?” Think about previous healthcare encounters that have gone well or that you felt good about. What was it about the encounter that made you label it a “good” interaction? Was the physician compassionate? Did she spend a lot of time with you? Did you feel secure with your physician as an expert on the topic you were there to see him about? Did she involve you in the process? Did she take control of the situation and put your mind at ease immediately? Your answers to these questions will be different based on what you value most in your healthcare. In thinking through this process, you can also ask yourself to think about a healthcare encounter that did not go so well. What was it about the encounter that made you label it a “bad” interaction? Was the physician cold? Did she spend very little time with you? Did you question the depth of her knowledge on the topic you were there to see her about? Again, your answers to these questions will be different based on what you value most in your healthcare.

Below is a sample listing of values. This is not meant to be a complete list of values, but just some suggestions of common values that could be used in creating your values statement for your healthcare/health status. As you read through the list, if you think of other values that are important to you, add them to the list.

Sample list of values: