Patient education for better managed care

Patient education for better managed care: "Managed care causes changes in the way we think about patient education and the responsibility we assume in the medical office. Sure, it has always been your job to give patients medical instructions at the time of their office visit and when they were discharged from the hospital. The next time they came in for an office visit you would ask if they followed your advice. Like most practices, you may keep a few instruction sheets or brochures about certain medical conditions. Pharmaceutical representatives have traditionally provided these printed materials. Enter managed care! It is time to get serious about expanding your patient education program. Patient education is the golden egg of managed care.

Assuming more responsibility for patient education in the ambulatory setting keeps patients healthier and keeps medical conditions from worsening. It can reduce the need for hospitalization."