Patient & Provider Relationships Have Changed

The relationship between patients and providers has evolved significantly over the years. In the past, doctors were seen as authoritative figures making decisions regarding a patient's health without much input from the patient.

However, as medicine has advanced and technology has improved, patient-centered care and shared decision-making have become increasingly important to the patient+provider relationship.

Today, patients are encouraged to be active participants in their own care. Physicians now take into account the patient's values and preferences when determining a course of action.

In addition, the advent of telemedicine and electronic health records have allowed for easier communication between everyone, which has helped to foster a more collaborative approach to healthcare.

Despite these advancements, challenges still remain.

One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that patients from all backgrounds are able to receive equitable care. Patients who come from disadvantaged backgrounds are often at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing healthcare, which can lead to disparities in health outcomes.

In order to address this, providers and health networks need to work towards implementing policies and practices that prioritize equity when providing care.

One of the best ways to jumpstart that process is to provide patients with a way to search for providers who share common values, backgrounds, and ideas about health care. Most Find-a-Doc tools are limited in providing these kinds of insights.

But health systems use MD MatchUp to gather first-party data on both patients and providers in order to recommend compatible in-network relationships to consumers before they select a new provider.

So, while the patient+provider relationship has come a long way, there is still work to be done to ensure patients receive the best possible care.

By continuing to focus on consumer-centric care, shared decision-making, and equitable treatment, we can continue to improve health outcomes for all.