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Old Challenges, New Solutions
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The news that the FDA asked us to suspend use of Rotarix made me cringe.
Every time I read about a problem with a vaccine I worry about how it will impact patient confidence. It used to be that a patient’s confidence was tied exclusively to ours. They trusted us completely to weigh risks and benefits of vaccination, and when we said a vaccine was needed, sleeves were immediately rolled up.
Not so fast today! The public has access to a lot more information, thanks to the Internet and 24-hour news at our fingertips. With all that new information comes many more questions and doubts. Patients wonder: Are we telling them the whole truth? Are we too busy to really know everything there is to know about a particular vaccine or treatment?
Although the ground rules have changed and our patients may challenge us more frequently, the truth is that they still look to us for information. They continue to say our recommendations are the primary factor in their decision-making process. So it seems to me what has really changed is that they now want more explanation, more in-depth understanding and more of our time. Giving our patients sound medical advice is our obligation, but time is at a premium, so we need to find new and creative ways to communicate effectively.
Smart healthcare practices have made the digital age work to their advantage. With consumers getting more information than ever before from the Internet, practices are developing their own Web sites. What a great idea! If you have something important to say, say it once, but to as many of your patients as possible.
Another positive of the digital age is that there are resources out there for the taking. We don’t have to do it all ourselves. There are articles, fact sheets for patients, brochures, seasonal information and a whole host of other free materials available all over the Internet. As President-Elect of NFID I am biased, but I strongly encourage you to visit some of our Web sites for tools and information free for the clicking: AdultVaccination.org, AdolescentVaccination.org, PreventChildhoodInfluenza.org and StopMeningitis.org. Other useful resources include Immunize.org and VaccineInformation.org.
If you’re reading this, you have the tools in front of you. Our patients have harnessed the digital age; we need to follow suit and use it to our advantage to streamline communication with them.