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Could patients self-administer IV antibiotics with a coat hanger? In a new video, Dr. Kavita Bhavan shares a story about teaching patients to care for themselves. The result of the project: Almost 28,000 fewer bed days, $40 million in savings over four years, and a 47 percent reduction in 30-day readmission rates. “We have been able to tap into perhaps the most natural resource available, which is human potential,” says Dr. Bhavan. Learn more about the changing role of patients in PFC 101: Introduction to Patient-Centered Care.
Within the next year, each of the four Massachusetts medical schools will introduce curricular changes to better prepare learners to honor patient wishes, especially in caring for people near the end of life. The Boston Globe reports on why health care professionals need this training, and why it’s so important to improve end-of-life care. Learn more and build your skills in PFC 202: Having the Conversation: Basic Skills for Conversations about End-of-Life Care.
Is there a new definition of “professionalism” for health care providers? The Open School’s West Coast Regional Leader, Kelsey Priest, shared her thoughts on health care providers’ full scope of responsibility in a recent interview with the ABIM Foundation. She reflected that health care professionals need to think not only about the patient in front of them, but also the broader communities they serve — “to elevate professionalism to the next level, the systems level.”
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