Patient Barriers

Patient Barriers are unmet patient needs that if left unaddressed, could delay or prevent patient recovery and/or well-being. Recovery is not only from an Acute Care hospital stay, it is getting blood pressure or blood sugar to a safe level. For the United States to lower the cost of healthcare, we will need to understand how to effectively identify and address the following potential unmet patient needs:

Health

• Mental Health – Depression, Anxiety, Stress, grief, trauma, dementia, or other cognitive impairments are not being addressed.

Psychosocial

• Care Options Understanding – patient doesn't fully understands diagnosis, prognosis and treatment options. Patient doesn't understand the potential financial, risk, functional, time, life goals impacts.
• Caregiver – do not have a caregiver to offer emotional, physical and administrative support, be there with the patient at physician appointments or in the hospital
• Lifestyle - addictions, stress, other behavioral risk factors
• Nutrition – ensure the patient understands good nutrition, address an eating disorder or ensure one good meal is delivered each day.
• Responsibilities - patient has job, family or care giver responsibilities that would prevent them from taking care of themselves
• Self-Care – does the patient or caregiver understand the conditions, how to take care of them (i.e., self-administer glucose) and when to alert a clinical professional
• Spiritual – ability to do activities that help achieve purpose & meaning. It could be going to church or helping their grandchild with homework.
• Support Network - socially or physically isolated, not in touch with or willing to burden family members

Environmental

• Access – ability to get same day appointments with physician, coverage after regular hours to prevent ER visits, access to limited services such Psychiatry
• Housing – homelessness, temporary housing, lack of A/C, safety issues, wheel chair accessible, equipment available and technical support
• Logistics – transportation to physician offices, outpatient treatments or therapies.* Medication – is the list of medications optimal, do they understand how to take them and are they taking them.

Socioeconomic Status

• Financial – financial constraints, debt,
• Health Insurance - lack of a health insurance, possible eligibility for Medicaid, disability or medication assistance
• Income security - unemployed, no source of regular income to support housing, nutrition and care plan

Care Management

• Care Coordination – make physician appointments, reminders, follow-ups (i.e., after medication changes), help navigate through the process for surgeries or procedures.
• Condition Monitoring – how is the patient monitoring blood pressure, weight, pain, wounds, understand what is being done with the information, who and how to contact with a concern.