Partnering with patients is just good business

Jodie Lydeker is a legal graduate and change manager with experience designing and implementing policy reforms across health services, who has also undergone treatment for breast cancer at the Western Private Hospital in Melbourne and at the Wesley Medical Centre in Brisbane. Since her treatment, Jodie has joined the GenesisCare Consumer Advisory Committee as a consumer representative.

“With a background working in state and federal health agencies, and now with a new outlook as a patient, I have a unique perspective on the health system; so, when I was invited to sit on the Consumer Advisory Committee, I very much welcomed the opportunity,” said Jodie Lydeker. “It also marries nicely with my role as a consumer rep at Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA).”

One of the recent agenda items reviewed at the Consumer Advisory Committee meeting was safety and quality data, including medication errors. This topic is particularly timely, as the theme for World Patient Safety Day 2022 is Medication Safety. We sat down with some of our patients, including Jodie, to ask what tips they would share with people with a recent cancer diagnosis setting out on their cancer journey.

Top tips that may help you during your cancer journey

Tip #1: Brain fog is real! As the road safety advertisement says – “Don’t trust your tired self”. Write everything down.¹

Tip #2: Whenever possible, have a loved one attend appointments with you – especially when you are receiving medication instructions. This way, you have a second set of ears to make sure you are interpreting the doctor or nurse correctly.^1,2

Tip #3: Be the boss of your own health! Speak up if you have any questions or concerns and keep a journal of any medication side effects that you may experience, so you can talk to your doctor or nurse about it.^2,3

Tip #4: Ask healthcare workers to tell you what they plan to do before you consent to any procedure. Feel free to ask questions or request written communication. Healthcare workers should tell you what they plan to do before any procedure.² Also, you can remind healthcare workers who have direct contact with you to wash their hands. Handwashing is an important way to prevent the spread of infection.⁴

Tip #5: Bring your doctor a list of your medications, including any current or proposed alternative remedies like vitamins, and remember to mention any allergies you have.²

Partnering with patients supports delivery of patient-centred care

“Listening to the unique perspective of patients is helping us to maintain the highest possible level of safety and quality,” says Helen Fawns, Head of Quality Australia. “Partnering with consumers and giving them a voice in the design, delivery, and review of our health service contributes to positive patient satisfaction rankings.”

“In the words of one of our patients, ‘We have to work together’,” continues Helen. “We are privileged to have Jodie as a highly valuable and respected member of the Consumer Advisory Committee, and we obtain great value from this partnership. Partnering with patients to improve safety and quality is one of the fundamental principles of delivering patient-centred care. In other words, it’s just good business.”

Footnote:

*GenesisCare uses the Net Promotor Score (NPS) methodology, which is an internationally recognised benchmark developed by Bain & Company. An NPS ranking of +94 puts GenesisCare in the top 5% of outpatient health service organisations in Australia, according to Press Ganey. The quarter referenced in this article is April-June 2022. 

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