scholarly journals Queering whole person care in a pandemic

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-57
Author(s):  
Jane Shulman ◽  
David Kenneth Wright

How can health care providers (HCPs) working with 2SLGBTQ+ patients enact a whole person care approach during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and its aftermath, and in such desperate times, is it even reasonable to expect them to? In this presentation, a nurse/nursing educator and a health care researcher/frequent patient discuss their observations and experiences of whole person care during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The conversation highlights that in the immediate chaos early on, and in the face of exhaustion, trauma, and burnout as the pandemic progressed, attending to the whole personhood of patients was/is paramount for HCPs and for the people they treat. The presenters reflect on the amplified significance of a whole person approach for 2SLGBTQ+ people who may have had negative health care experiences in the past, and may fear that they will not receive equitable care in the chaotic context of a pandemic. A whole person care approach is perhaps most necessary when it is also most difficult. In a period of such profound distress, a deeper sense of connectedness to patients may help HCPs manage feelings of helplessness they are likely to encounter, and surely helps the people they treat. The goal of this presentation is to begin a discussion about the ways that whole person approaches benefit 2SLGBTQ+ patients as well as their HCPs, with the hope that it will spark ideas for attendees to develop in their own practices.

2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (11) ◽  
pp. 3-4
Author(s):  
Molly Antone ◽  

Dying today looks dramatically different than it did a century ago, largely due to wider treatment options and more specialized medical practices. Often missing from these advancements is the focus on factors relative to a patient’s total circumstances. Especially in light of the recent pandemic, it is incumbent upon Catholic health care providers to treat who whole person rather than simply focus on more utilitarian philosophies of care.


Author(s):  
Robert G. Evans ◽  
Morris L. Barer ◽  
Greg L. Stoddart

ABSTRACTCalls for user fees in Canadian health care go back as far as the debate leading up to the establishment of Canada's national hospital insurance program in the late 1950s. Although the rationales have shifted around somewhat, some of the more consistent claims have been that user fees are necessary as a source of additional revenue for a badly underfunded system, that they are necessary to control runaway health care costs, and that they will deter unnecessary use (read abuse) of the system. But the real reasons that user fees have been such hardy survivors of the health policy wars, bear little relation to the claims commonly made for them. Their introduction in the financing of hospital or medical care in Canada would be to the benefit of a number of groups, and not just those one usually thinks of. We show that those who are healthy, and wealthy, would join health care providers (and possibly insurers) as net beneficiaries of a reintroduction of user fees for hospital and medical care in Canada. The flip side of this is that those who are indigent and ill will bear the brunt of the redistribution (for that is really what user fees are all about), and seniors feature prominently in those latter groups. Claims of other positive effects of user fees, such as reducing total health care costs, or improving appropriateness or accessibility, simply do not stand up in the face of the available evidence. In the final analysis, therefore, whether one is for or against user fees reduces to whether one is for or against the resulting income redistribution.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (e1) ◽  
pp. e173-e177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Peacock ◽  
Ashok Reddy ◽  
Suzanne G Leveille ◽  
Jan Walker ◽  
Thomas H Payne ◽  
...  

Background: Access to online patient portals is key to improving care, but we have limited understanding of patient perceptions of online portals and the characteristics of people who use them. Methods: Using a national survey of 3677 respondents, we describe perceptions and utilization of online personal health information (PHI) portals. Results: Most respondents (92%) considered online PHI access important, yet only 34% were offered access to online PHI by a health care provider, and just 28% accessed online PHI in the past year. While there were no differences across race or ethnicity in importance of access, black and Hispanic respondents were significantly less likely to be offered access (P = .006 and <.001, respectively) and less likely to access their online PHI (P = .041 and <.001, respectively) compared to white and non-Hispanic respondents. Conclusion: Health care providers are crucial to the adoption and use of online patient portals and should be encouraged to offer consistent access regardless of patient race and ethnicity.


2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy E. Kass ◽  
Marvin R. Natowicz ◽  
Sara Chandros Hull ◽  
Ruth R. Faden ◽  
Laura Plantinga ◽  
...  

In the past ten years, there has been growing interest in and concern about protecting the privacy of personal medical information. Insofar as medical records increasingly are stored electronically, and electronic information can be shared easily and widely, there have been legislative efforts as well as scholarly analyses calling for greater privacy protections to ensure that patients can feel safe disclosing personal information to their health-care providers. At the same time, the volume of biomedical research conducted in this country continues to grow. The budget of the National Institutes of Health, for example, was $20,298 million in 2001, having more than doubled from a budget of $9,218 million 10 years before. This growing body of research includes increased efforts to use stored medical records as a source of data for health services, epidemiologic, and clinical studies.


Author(s):  
Royce W. Waltrip ◽  
Nancy Mahler ◽  
Alina Ahsan ◽  
Leslie B. Herbert

Abstract Background: Treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse include intravenous corticosteroids and repository corticotropin injection. Despite available treatment, in the Multiple Sclerosis in America 2017 survey, only 47% of patients reported always/often contacting their MS health care provider (HCP) during relapse. In this study, the Multiple Sclerosis in America 2017 survey participants who received intravenous corticosteroids or repository corticotropin injection for treatment of past relapses completed a follow-up survey to understand how patients characterize relapse severity and to explore predictors of patients contacting their HCP during a relapse. Methods: Patients were18 years and older, diagnosed as having MS by an HCP, and currently using disease-modifying therapy. Patients completed an online survey assessing relapse characteristics and interactions with the HCP treating the patient’s MS. Regression analysis identified predictors of patients contacting their HCP during relapse. Results: Mean age of the 126 respondents was 49.2 years, 81.0% were female, and most (80.2%) had one or more relapses in the past 2 years. Patients estimated that 38.3% of their relapses were mild; 45.1%, moderate; and 16.6%, severe. Number and frequency of symptoms increased with relapse severity. Less than half (46.0%) reported they were extremely likely to contact their HCP during a relapse. The best predictors of being likely to contact the HCP during relapse were the HCP having previously discussed the importance of immediately communicating a relapse and patients’ willingness to accept the HCP’s recommendation for relapse treatment. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of HCPs’ advance discussions with patients with MS regarding relapse management to increase the likelihood patients will contact their HCP during relapse.


Author(s):  
Suruchi Singh ◽  
Satish Kumar Sharma

As the lockdown situation progressed in COVID-19 pandemic, national pharmacy role players became major front line workers for maintaining accessibility of health care utilities. Pharmacists have been handling in-house deliveries of essentials, reducing burden on health care, along with attending patients with other ailments. Since pharmacists are representatives directly associated with public health concerns, there is need for disseminating awareness in pharmacists to maintain the health conditions of the people living in the pandemic situation. Pharmacy Colleges and representatives of public health interests were subjected to systematic literature review regarding publicly reported pharmacist positions. It is concluded that respondents having much experience are intended to perceive a pharmacist's position as being essential to health care providers relative to the individuals who have less experience. The findings of this research can be beneficial for educating pharmacists in order to achieve the goal of keeping the people healthy in the pandemic situations.


Author(s):  
Judith Lacey

The period leading to death is characterized by increasing prevalence and intensity of physical, psychological, existential, and social concerns, and it is often a challenging time for patients, their families, and health-care providers. This chapter specifically addresses the most prevalent symptoms and concerns encountered when managing the actively dying patient. Symptoms affecting dying patients’ comfort, including pain, dyspnoea, delirium, terminal secretions, and refractory symptoms and suffering require different clinical management as death approaches. Other topics included are recognizing the dying phase; communication with and preparation of patient, family, and staff; anticipating dying-advanced care planning and approach to resuscitation; addressing psychosocial and existential concerns; and approach to difficult end-of-life scenarios. This chapter aims to provide the health-care practitioner with a good overview and approach to the whole-person care needs of the dying patient and their family and carers to enable health practitioners to feel comfortable in providing this important care with confidence.


2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-58
Author(s):  
Leslie A. Penner ◽  
Kerstin Roger

The purpose of this paper is to explore how relating to the ‘whole’ person – both the physical body and the invisible aspects of the ‘self’ – is essential in the establishment of a strong therapeutic alliance between patients and health care providers. Our work is based on interviews conducted with individuals affected by neurological illnesses (patients and family care providers). Hsieh and Shannon’s (2005) conventional content analysis was used to analyze the data. Under the broad theme of ‘maintaining a coherent sense of self’ we identified four distinct sub-themes related to interactions with health care providers. The results elucidate the more complex and deep needs of patients who must access care on an ongoing basis, and highlight the important role that care providers play in supporting individuals who are experiencing physical, spiritual and social losses. Care must attend to the deep needs of these individuals by communicating in a style that addresses both emotional and cognitive needs of patients, by thorough and holistic assessment and by appropriate referrals.


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