2023-11-06 09:35:08
The guide promoted by FEDE to humanize diabetes reflects the need that the health system addresses the patient from a comprehensive perspective and not just a strictly medical one. This is how it proposes the inclusion in the care of social, emotional and psychological aspects.
According to FEDE, it is about recognizing the person with diabetes “as a human being with needs, desires, rights and responsibilities that go beyond their condition as a patient.”
The guide is part of the “Prescribe Associationism in Diabetes” campaignwhich was created to encourage the recommendation of patient associations by health professionals, as is already happening in other European countries.
The essential role of the health professional
In this sense, he assures that the health professional has “an essential role” in this “transformation of care” to go beyond “a mere prescriber of treatments” and has to assume “the role of companion and guide on the patient’s path.”
All of this implies, FEDE indicates in the guide, being sensitive to the concerns of patients, to whom you must listen “actively” and being able to connect with them on an emotional level.
Therapeutic education, the consideration of psychosocial aspects and the promotion of self-care are practices to humanize diabetes that patients consider should be part of the professional’s training.
For FEDE, patient associations are “key actors” to achieve this objective, which is why the guide has summarized the main implications of humanization in diabetes and included 50 recommendations so that all the agents involved – authorities, patients and social-health professionals – collaborate in its development.
Comprehensive management and mental health care
The document called “Humanization guide in diabetes” For comprehensive care, it is recommended to distribute information and training materials from the associations in health centers, as well as conduct satisfaction surveys in these centers to better understand the needs of patients.
Also integrate psychologists and social workers specialized in diabetes in health carepromote shared therapeutic decisions between professionals and patients and create direct communication channels between health centers and associations.
For the management of emotions and mental health of patients with diabetes, since emotional complications such as depression and anxiety are commonis committed to training health professionals about the emotional dimension of the disease and promoting support activities carried out by associations.
Likewise, encourage referral to specialized psychologists, design awareness campaigns about the emotional and social impact of the disease and promote research on it.
“A lonely experience”
And diabetes, FEDE emphasizes, can be a “lonely experience,” which is why it emphasizes that associations create support networks so that patients feel listened to and understood.
Image from the FEDE guide.
So things for “human connection” proposes the promotion of the exchange of experiences between patients in safe spaces, promote areas of collaboration between young patients in educational centersencourage connection with others who are already “experts” and provide physical spaces in health centers so that associations can carry out activities.
The guide insists that The support of the family and the close environment can “significantly” enhance adherence to treatment and the psychological well-being of the patient.
Among the recommended measures to promote the integration of the emotional environment, it is committed to disseminating the educational workshops for family and friends carried out by the associations but also promoting support groups.
Furthermore, he advises include family members and friends in therapeutic decisions “when the patient wants it.”
Empower the patient with diabetes
In order to empower the person with diabetes and to be an active protagonist in the control of their disease, it advocates design digital tools for daily monitoring, organize self-care workshops in health centers, implement educational programs and create online platforms with accessible and updated educational resources. All this in collaboration with associations.
And for what the technology represents an ally in the humanization of the disease without adding more burden to the patient, the document prepared by FEDE urges to promote the development of digital solutions for diabetes in hackathons – events for health software developers.
Organizing fairs and exhibitions on technological innovations, providing training on the use of new technologies to patients, continuing training in this area for professionals and establishing alliances with technological companies are other recommendations.
Image from the FEDE guide.
Rights and overcoming inequalities
On the other hand, there is an abundance of guides in whichThe patient’s rights “are not limited solely to the clinical setting.”but rather they cover a broader spectrum that extends to all their spheres of activity.”
Hence, it advocates creating awareness campaigns about patients’ rights, in collaboration with associations; establish “clear” protocols for action in the event of discrimination or negligence; promote the creation of ethics committees in health centers with representatives of associations; as well as for organizing workshops and talks about their rights in educational and health centers.
To overcome the “inequities” that exist, according to the guide, in the care of the disease, it is considered that we must encourage the active participation of “underrepresented groups” in decision making through the associations that represent them.
Image from the FEDE guide.
Also recommend design campaigns that reflect the diversity of those affectedestablish alliances with associations that represent minorities, create multilingual resources adapted to different levels of literacy and establish specialized care points for groups with particular needs.
Among other recommendations in this regard are having national legislation that ensures equity in access to diagnosis and treatment equally “regardless of where you live” and carry out periodic audits to evaluate the inclusivity and equity in “diabetology care” throughout the country.
The paradigm shift
And for the paradigm shift and for professionals to contribute to the humanization of the disease, it is considered necessary to establish direct lines of communication between them, patients and associations.
Not only that, it includes among the proposals the promotion of the creation of patient committees in medical centersa directory of local associations for diabetic patients, a list of social and health resources, and train healthcare professionals in communication skills.
Integrate representatives of associations into hospital advisory councils, promote the inclusion of patient testimonials in events for healthcare professionals and that they have protocols to recommend patient associations during consultations, are other measures to achieve the objective set by WEDDING RING.
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