Working with pre-surgical patients every day, we tend to notice the same patterns and trends in behavior. When it comes to surgery, it’s only normal to feel apprehensive, nervous, or anxious. But that is because we are all only human—it is a completely normal response to experience fear of the unknown or being out of control.
But something we believe at PatientPartner™ is that many of these unpleasant responses to the surgical process can be alleviated with a new step on the healthcare journey—one that prioritizes patient emotional wellbeing through mentorship. Trends in patient behavior are a result of a commercialized healthcare system that has lacked transparency for many years. It's become so metrics-focused that certain aspects of the journey are lacking a human touch. By re-envisioning the healthcare journey, we see a modernized, consumer-centric approach to surgery that will mitigate the common feelings that arise in pre-surgical patients.
Patients Are Nervous About the Procedure
Nervous feelings before a procedure can stem from a multitude of different things. Fear of “going under” anesthetic is common for many people, which correlates with a fear of being out of control. There may also be a sense of dread regarding the recovery process, which may strip people of their independence. Additionally, for procedures like bariatric surgery or a joint replacement, this may be the turning point for a completely different way of life. In these situations, the surgery is very much signaling the next chapter in life, and change—be it good or bad—often brings apprehension.
Patients also tend to worry if the intervention will be the answer they need for a better quality of life—particularly for bariatric patients who may feel like they have explored all other options before reaching this point. This comes with rational anxieties like uncertainty about the cost of the procedure, how their employer will respond to their request for time off, and how soon they can get back to work. The surgery itself is just one step in a long journey that affects many different aspects of life.
Patients Want a Physician They Can Trust
Patient fears can be quickly alleviated once they are connected with a surgeon they can trust. But finding an experienced surgeon that ticks all the right boxes can be challenging. This is because patients are often very much at the mercy of the healthcare system that may connect them with a surgeon that isn’t necessarily the best fit for them. For specialist procedures in particular, it makes sense for patients to be able to explore their options with the top experts who can offer reassurance and realistic projections of the procedure and recovery.
At PatientPartner™, a surgeon won’t be added to our site until they’ve been fully approved by our team. Not only that, but we are totally transparent—you can see their specialty, education, experience, number of surgeries performed, if they accept your insurance, and even how “to the point” their consultation style is. We understand that patients often feel pressured to accept their first option, but our priority is to put the choice back into the hands of the consumer, just like any other purchasing situation.
Patients Are Looking For Support
We started PatientPartner™ because we noticed there was a significant component missing in the surgical journey. Patients might be able to find medical support from their healthcare professionals, and emotional encouragement from family or friends, but what about that middle ground? Patients find immense value in speaking to someone who has gone through that same procedure. In fact, we wrote a whole article about what you can learn from a past patient that you can’t learn from a surgeon.
The strongest patient support networks are the ones that are made up of the practical support of a surgeon, the mentorship of a past patient, and the post-operative care of a friend or family member, all underlined with emotional support. Those who don’t have people to lean on, whether it is family, neighbors, home health, or a mentor, experience a much more challenging surgical journey. This is why we want to provide everyone and anyone with a mentor to speak to if that support and guidance doesn’t come from within their immediate network.
Patients Have Little to No Understanding About the Insurance World
Most people hope that they will go their lives with few, or no big healthcare expenses. Despite paying their health insurance each year, it might only be a once in a lifetime occurrence that someone will have surgery. As a result, navigating the cost options can be an overwhelming experience for patients. One of the biggest questions that regularly comes up is the difference between in-network versus out-of-network.
In-network essentially means your healthcare provider and the insurance company have agreed on a set, “discounted” rate. When it is out-of-network, typically the rates aren’t agreed and it means patients are charged full price. But it can affect your payment options in different ways—you may have a higher share of the cost, or you could pay the difference. This is an option people tend to pursue when they are seeking a higher quality of specialist care. At PatientPartner™, our process is designed to not only walk patients through the emotional and personal aspects of surgery, but the practical matters too. Finances aren’t always black and white, and we recognize that surgery is very much a financial decision as well as a healthcare one. So we make sure to connect you with a surgeon that aligns with your insurance plan, with no surprise costs.
Pre-surgical patient trends exist because we have learned to live within a system that is well overdue for consumer-facing reform. But there are ways to overcome nerves, uncertainty, and confusion that often accompanies medical experiences. The priority now needs to be empowering patients to make the best-informed decisions for their health.
PatientPartner™ offers the first platform that connects pre-surgical patients directly with fully recovered patients who went through the same surgery, often with the same surgeon. The platform is designed to assist surgeons, hospitals, and device companies in building a long-term referral network of patients by creating a one-of-a-kind patient experience. This peer-to-peer patient advocacy platform gives users the opportunity to learn from real experiences and helps empower patients to achieve more successful outcomes through connectivity.
