The Resource Guide for long-term care from Wayne County's Department of Aging and Youth provides valuable insight on the role of caregivers in a patient's life. Much of the care-giving a patient will receive happens outside of the doctor's office and is given by friends and family, and sometimes just helpful neighbors. It is crucial for physician's and medical care-givers to understand the kind of care that patients need beyond medical and to appreciate those that give such care. Furthermore, patients who are home-bound and receive most of their medical care in their homes may need the physician to play additional roles. As Dr. Way discussed in his presentation on rural medicine in the Adirondacks, many patients require home visits because they simply have no means to travel to the physician's office, especially because the region is under served and medical facilities are few and far between. In a home visit, a doctor becomes more than just a white coat, they become the caregiver. Furthermore, the other caregivers in a patient's life do need to be taken into consideration by the physician. For instance, the physician must know what kind of care is available for a home bound patient. I also think that medical professionals can learn from caregivers in that the primary goal of the caregivers is to make the patient comfortable and happy, not necessarily to cure them. This is an important aspect of medicine as well and it can sometime be overshadowed or forgotten in the path to a cure. These are important facets of doctoring, as are mutual respect and communication. I think that honesty is also crucial in fostering a positive physician-patient relationship. Furthermore, I think that mutual understanding is central to such relationships. This was an important aspect of Dr. Way's practice in the Adirondacks as well.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Rachel Kopicki's RMSP Wayne County Health Blog: Wayne Substance Abuse Service
Rachel Kopicki's RMSP Wayne County Health Blog: Wayne Substance Abuse Service: The Wayne Substance Abuse Service provides for both adults and children suffering from substance addiction. This service is provided by th...
Wayne Substance Abuse Service
The Wayne Substance Abuse Service provides for both adults and children suffering from substance addiction. This service is provided by the Wayne Behavioral Health Network in Lyons, NY. This program aims to assist patients maintain abstinence from alcohol and a variety of other mood-altering drugs that have not been medically prescribed. The program also aims to hep patients develop methods that allow them freedom from intensive care management. In order to reach these aims, the program focuses on specific treatment plans tailored to each patient. Another feature of this program that is highly inclusive is the provision of treatment to family members and friends who have been negatively affected by a loved one's substance abuse. This program appears to be highly inclusive in their provision of both individual and group therapy, as well as education, referrals to other facilities, and clinical support services.
This program is important because it is offered by Wayne County. As a provider, it is important to know of the government provided programs such as this, which may be more accessible to patients than other substance abuse treatment programs which are not located within the county or provided by the county. For instance, the NARCO Freedom treatment program offers services to residents of Wayne county but it is not actually located within the county and may be less accessible to patients.
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