Question

How do the changes in client characteristics impact health care?

Answer 1

Some of the changes in client characteristics and its impact on health care:

a) The increase in umber of older people require more facilities and personnel specialising in care of this group such as continuing care communities, skilled care and home care.

b) Aging also leads to development of speciality programmes like memory care, cardiac and stroke rehaboilitation, wellness programmes to promote healthy aging,

c) Patients’ socio-demographic factors (e.g., age and gender) and severity of illness affect the outcomes in healthcare. Most of the Males seem to be satisfied with the care provided unlike females.

d) Compliance and co-operation of patients themselves have an impact on the health care. There has to be a good healthy, trustworthy relationship between the client and his physician for a better quality of care.

e) Lack of knowledge: Some patients ask their doctors to prescribe medicines. They believe that they will not be healed unless they take medicines. Patient persistence to get a specific medicine influences physicians to do so in order to satisfy the patient.

f) Patients have easy access to affordable medical services. Therefore, patients can easily switch from one provider to another one. Patients are free to choose the healthcare settings or providers. Therefore, there is a tendency, in patient choice from a GP to a medical consultant. Most patients prefer to be seen by a medical specialist. Nowadays, a GP has fewer patients than a medical consultant. Low medical tariff makes it easier for patients to see a medical specialist

g) Patient possession of information about their diseases and the process of treatment help them understand the physicians better and know what to expect from them. Patients’ knowledge of their rights also influences their expectations of quality medical services.

h) Beliefs: Some clients believe that the ones who come to the private hospitals would expect more as they are paying more for the services.

i) The patient’s attitude and behaviour also affects the attitudes of caregivers. If patients behave themselves, caregivers unintentionally provide better services. Medical doctors develop good rapport with their patients using some personality characteristics such as respect, helpfulness, reliability, intelligence, and confidence

j) Patient involvement and cooperation is needed and affects the quality of medical services. Clinical outcomes depend on the ability of patients to provide information and cooperate with clinicians.

k) Severity of illness: The type of patient illness influences doctors’ job stress, which in turn affects overall quality of medical services