Patient-provider relationships and health outcomes in women with chronic illness

¶ … Living with chronic illness: A phenomenological study of the health effects of the patient-provider relationship' by Sylvia Fox and Catherine Chesla.

The relationship between patient and health care provider is important. There are a number of factors that have an effect on the relationship between patient and health care provider. Some of these factors include cultural as well as social changes, patient rights, informed consent, women's rights, gay's rights, and the pressures that are exerted on the healthcare system to understand the concerns of the patients (Herzlinger, 2004, p. 67). Some of the other factors that are important include giving an importance to the values of women. In these cases, it has been seen that increased input has been given to caring and nurturing involved in the traditional caretaking of women The main aim of the paper is to understand the relationship between health care provider and the patient. In order to study the relationship, the sample includes women suffering from chronic illnesses. How the relationship between health care provider and the patient affects the health of these women is the main topic of the paper.

Questions being implied

There are no hypotheses stated in the article. But, the one main question being implied in the article is that if there is any effect of the quality of health care provided by the healthcare provider has any link with the health of women suffering from chronic illnesses. From here, it can be seen that there is a strong link between the purpose of the paper and the question being implied in the paper. The purpose of the paper is almost the same as the purpose of the paper.

Literature review

One of the main facts that have been referred to in the literature include the factors that affect the relationship between health care provider and the patients. Also, there is a certain quality of the relationship between health care provider and the provider that also affects the relationship (Honeycutt, 2011, p. 56). In these cases, it is seen that the literature is older and is not up-to-date. The second phase of literature that has been used highlights the relationship between patients and nurse practitioners and the qualities of this relationship which is an important factor of quality of healthcare being provided. The literature in relation to this fact is up-to-date and latest. One of the most interesting facts is that the most important facts in the paper are from the older literature. The fact in this case is the importance of the concerns of the patients rather the symptoms of the patients to the healthcare provider. One of the strongest points in the article is that the strongest fact has been mentioned from the older literature. This fact can be considered the core of the selected study.

An important aspect of the selected study is to study the outcomes of the relationship between the patient and the physician. The literature that has been used in this case is from the year 1988 and it is very old. There is no doubt about the fact that there is an immense importance of the information given, but many studies have been conducted on the topic and latest information could be used that could be referred in this case. The study referred has helped the authors of this study to highlight some of the most important factors that are involved in an efficient and an effective relationship between patient and health care provider. Some of the main factors of effective relationship include positive talk, information giving, length and duration of visit and partnership building between patients and healthcare providers.

Another important literature included is from the year 1998. Interventions that could help in an improvement of the relationships between the healthcare provider and the patient include educational programs, affective programs and behavioral interventions. Another literature has been referred to in the study from the year 1996. The importance of this study is based on the clinical trials conducted on 21 patients. The study has highlighted three main kinds of interventions that have helped in an improvement of the relationship between patients and healthcare providers. With an improvement in the interventions, the study has highlighted that increased interventions have been seen in various outcomes in health in patients. These include symptom resolution, emotional as well as behavioral health, quality of life, and disease management.

Second part of the literature that has been referred to in the study is in relation to the roles that are played by the nurse practitioners in delivering primary health care with positive outcomes in the patients. One of the main points that are strong in the study are in relation to the perception by the nurses that they are caring but these days the patients demand lesser visits and reduced appointment times (Fox, and Chesla, 2008, p. 110).

Research Design

For the purpose of this study, 25 women were selected between the ages of 35 and 55 years. These women suffered from chronic illnesses for a number of years, and were native English speakers. All women were mentally fit and healthy. The main method used in the study was based on the self-interpretation by the selected individual as an understanding of the situation is developed. This interpretive phenomenology is termed as Heideggerian tradition.

The methodology and design of the study were approved by the University Committee on Human Research. The approval and consent of the participants were obtained based on the provision of U.S.$20 to each participant.

Sampling

A total of 25 women was selected. The selection of these women was based on an advertisement in the newspapers, word of mouth, local healthcare centers, as well as the support groups. All the interviews were conducted in a private room of the clinical centers or hospitals.

One of the main ethical issues in the study was the consent and agreement of the participants. The interviews were only conducted based on an informed consent of the participants. The selected sample size was 25 and the sample size is adequate as the information that can be extracted from the interviews would give more than enough information.

Data Collection Methods

One of the main methods that have been selected for the study is interview. Three main kinds of experiences that are to be gathered from the participants include positive experiences, neutral experiences, as well as problematic experiences. A group based interviews and repeated interviews were conducted. The interviews were open ended and more open ended probes were given to the participants for better answering. All of the interviews were recorded. These recordings were later checked for detailed analysis and for any accuracy. The total number of interview groups were five.

The interviews contained the explanation of the experiences of women with nurses, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, music therapists, physical therapists, as well as psychological therapists.

It can be seen that the author has an increased understanding of the data collection methods that can be used for effective information collection. One of the strongest points of this part of the study is that the data collection strategy has been explained in a detailed manner.

Data Analysis

Data was the transcript of the interview from the participants. The transcripts in the printed form were the main source of data analysis. The responses of one participant were compared with the interviews taken from the other participants. In order to have a detailed analysis of the interviews and the information taken from the participants, the transcripts and the original recordings were consulted in a repeated manner. Interpretive phenomenology is the main data analysis strategy used in the study. The explanation of the strategy in the section of data analysis explains an understanding of the author towards the strategy.

Results/findings

First, if the patients have links to health care providers, increased positive outcomes are seen in women with chronic illness. Secondly, if the health care providers were partners or husbands, positive outcomes were seen in the women in an increased manner. One of the main examples given in these cases is 41-year-old Tillie who found her health care provider or husband 25 years ago in the emergency room of the hospital she was brought in. The third important factor is personablness at which women need to be treated at the personal level by the healthcare professionals. What the real problem is and how healthcare professionals deal with patients' issue is an important factor.

Fourth important factor reported was the strict professional manner maintained by the healthcare professionals based on which women often feel cold behavior.

Increased usage of control and power had a negative effect on the development of the appropriate relationship between the healthcare professionals and the patients. The second negative effect was seen in clinicians who were unable to manage their clinics competitively.

Generalizability/Implications

The generalizability of the study is at the level of clinicians and healthcare professionals. The study is practical and can be implemented in the field of healthcare. Other than healthcare professionals, it is important that nursing practitioners develop proper strategies for developing proper relationships with the patients. It is important that the patients are dealt with by the nurse practitioners at the personal level. It is important that the nurse practitioners as well as the doctors deal with the patients at the personal level and a less offensive manner.

Limitations

The main limitations seen in the case of this study include time constraints and the sample size. The sample size is an important limitation. There is no doubt about the fact that the sample size is adequate and the required information is extracted from the sample included in the study.

Conclusion

The study is detailed information about the relationship between healthcare professionals and the patients. The theory used as the basis of the study is perfectly in relation to the study carried out. Sample size is adequate for the study as the main aim was to extract information from the participants. All ethical concerns were dealt with adequately in the study.