Better outcomes for people with acute or persistent pain and improved job satisfaction.

Background: 

The Victorian Workcover Authority sponsored HCM training of their Clinical Panel Advisors. 

The practitioner sent an email outlining her experiences using HCM tools with her patients the following week. All the clients suffered from persistent pain as well as having numerous other health issues. Previously the clinician struggled to complete the initial assessment and some basic education/treatment in 50mins with these sorts of complex clients.

How the clinician used HeathChange® Methodology(HCM): 

"By using the HealthChange Framework, I was able to keep myself on track, and I think I managed to deliver some real patient centred care. One patient left incredibly satisfied with increased confidence to return to his self-managed exercise program with the addition of one new exercise. He gained so much better understanding of how to manage his issues after the consultation with me. I used the menu of choice, then really honed in on his confidence when goal setting. One patient was the anxious talker, all over the place in her thoughts. By suing the Menu of Options, she could identify where she wanted some assistance. Another patient was very defensive, and clearly did not want to be told what he should be doing. By explaining my role, consistently asking his permission and offering choice with phrasing along the lines of "many patients with this condition find this helpful", he started to engage. I also used the Decisional Balance Technique to highlight the implications of no action. By the end of the session, he was leaning forward asking questions about what he could do."