A 70-year-old man in very good health experiences a syncopal episode after standing unsupported for 20 minutes. His pulse was 46 and color ashen with circumoral cyanosis. Paramedics were called, and he was taken to the nearest emergency department. After extensive tests and 3 weeks of home monitoring, it was determined that the patient needed a pacemaker. Following the pacemaker insertion, it was determined that his cholesterol was elevated, and he was started on medication. The patient stated that he had been put on statins once before by his primary care physician and was not able to tolerate them. This time, the medication was to be closely monitored. One month following his pacemaker insertion and the start of this medication, the patient saw his primary care physician. The physician went over his lab tests, for which samples were drawn before the visit. When the patient asked about his cholesterol, he was told that no lipid levels had been measured. When the patient further asked about the report on his pacemaker surgery, the physician replied that he had no report. This case presents a lack of care coordination, a lack of effective communication among team members, and potential for error, resulting in patient safety and quality-of-care issues.

 

1. What could have been done to prevent the confusion that this patient experienced? Where and when might errors have occurred?

2. How does this case reflect the need for interprofessional teamwork?

3. Now that you know more about teamwork and quality care, what is your perspective of this patients experience?

 

Answer:

1. What could have been done to prevent the confusion that this patient experienced? Where and when might errors have occurred?

Answer: In order to prevent confusion to our patient we need to have  a good coordination when we are going to handle and manage the patient. As we noticed on the above scenario the healthcare team is lack of cooperation and coordination. And as a result every time the patient will ask about report on his physiologic condition for example the cholesterol level the health care provider cannot answer him or cannot provide an answer. The errors occurred in the health care team during the time they manage the patient because they have lack of coordination and lack of communication among other health care team members.

2. How does this case reflect the need for inter professional teamwork?

Answer: This case reflect that they really need an inter professional teamwork because it might always result an error, problems and worst complications to their patient when they continue to this kind of teamwork. As a health care provider we need to think and safeguard the welfare of our patients or clients for them to have a good recovery. Because that is our duty and responsibility to manage and handle the patient properly with proper coordination and communication in order to prevent errors. And in such way we can also provide relevant information to our patient or client regarding on their health status or physiologic condition.

3. Now that you know more about teamwork and quality care, what is your perspective of this patients experience?

Answer: My perspective on this patient's experience is not good. It means the patient did not received the right and best care of treatment due to their teamwork which is not good. Because every patient deserves to received a good quality of treatment because that is their right as a client or patient. The experience of the patient on the above scenario might give or reflect a bad or negative feedback to the health care team. As a result he will loose his trust and confidence to the health care team members who handle him and the patient might complain the team or the institution where the health care team members is not doing their best to deliver the quality of treatment that he expect and deserved to received.