The primary problem associated with healthcare today is that 50% of the patient population is non-compliant with their provider’s directions or therapy. The net result is an increase in morbidity and mortality with the associated costs of each. Traditional training programs in the health sciences focus on the art and science of medicine or related therapies. The most immediate concern is that medical and related training programs are focused on their particular disciplines and have little understanding of why people behave the way they do.
TPCS employees are trained as Behavior Transition (BeTr™) Coaches to determine if these behavior based skills can be extended to patients and their families. We are fully aware that post discharge returns to hospitals is having an impact on both costs and morbidity to the patient. Patients are being discharged sicker and quicker than ever before and greater demands are being placed on families and post-discharge support agencies (e.g., home health and visiting nurses).
Habits developed over a lifetime quickly return when the discharged person is back in their home environment. Our goal is to be a better transition agent for the patient as they return home. We look at the patient care plan from the patient’s point of view and determine the consequences that may lead to non-adherence. TPCOS therapists represent a new way of looking at the “whole patient” and the effects of well-intended plans that may be punishing to the patient. With that information we can then make recommendations to providers and family members of better ways to manage the critical first 30 days post discharge. BeTr™ Coaching is an applied research effort into improving patient outcomes.
For more information about our applied research please contact Dr. Robert Wright at (321) 439-5949.