pLOG

2024-01-17

PSP: Bridging the Gap in Patient Discharge Care

Patient Support Programs (PSPs) are not just an essential service for pharmaceutical companies or other healthcare organizations; they are also invaluable assistants for patients facing the challenges of illness. Let's take a look at how PSPs operate to provide comprehensive support and educational resources for patients.

1.Initial Diagnosis: Helplessness

Imagine a patient in the hospital receiving a diagnosis, their mind filled with questions and anxieties. At this point, PSPs intervene with professional healthcare personnel providing educational knowledge, answering questions, and comforting patients and their families. PSPs at this stage are not just providers of knowledge but also companions, helping patients establish correct disease awareness.

2.Challenges During Treatment

As treatment progresses, patients may face various challenges such as complex treatment regimens, high medication costs, and issues related to side effects. At this point, PSPs provide not only correct medication and educational concepts but also financial assistance and support for medication discounts. Through these measures, PSPs assist patients in overcoming practical difficulties and ensure smooth progress in treatment.

3.Psychological Support

Illness brings not only physical challenges but also psychological and emotional stress. Many patients feel helpless when facing anxiety, depression, or loneliness. PSPs become emotional support pillars for patients through regular care and contact, helping them better cope with these emotional challenges.

4.Monitoring and Tracking Compliance

PSPs not only provide support but also ensure the implementation of treatment plans by monitoring and tracking patients' compliance with medical instructions. This includes regular contact with patients to ensure they take their medication on time and follow other treatment recommendations. Through effective monitoring, healthcare teams can intervene promptly, provide necessary support, and improve patient compliance and treatment effectiveness.

These scenarios briefly illustrate the value of PSPs in providing services at various stages of treatment. Through PSP interventions, patients can effectively strengthen their understanding and self-management of diseases, improve compliance with medical advice, and bring more confidence and peace of mind to patients and their families, ultimately presenting superior clinical outcomes and health benefits.

Patient Support Programs (PSPs) are important services provided by pharmaceutical companies or other healthcare organizations. Their goal is to assist patients in better understanding and managing diseases and treatment options, while providing the necessary support and guidance to ensure they receive timely treatment and effectively manage their conditions. These programs usually collaborate with healthcare teams to ensure that patients receive comprehensive support and care. PSPs provide various support and resources, including medication information, educational resources, psychological and emotional support, as well as financial assistance.

According to a systematic analysis by Ganguli, A. et al. of articles related to the use of patient support programs, PSPs are considered significant in improving patient compliance with medical instructions. Medication adherence refers to the extent to which patients follow treatment plans according to the recommendations and prescriptions of healthcare professionals. High medication adherence is associated with better clinical outcomes and health benefits. However, many patients face various challenges in this regard, such as medication costs, complex treatment regimens, and issues related to side effects. In these situations, the crucial support and resources provided by PSPs help patients overcome these challenges. PSPs include educational resources such as information about specific diseases and treatment plans, as well as advice on how to effectively manage symptoms and side effects. Additionally, some programs also provide financial assistance or medication discounts to alleviate the burden on patients. Through these resources, patients can better understand their diseases and medical treatment plans, and are more likely to adhere to medical recommendations.

In addition to education and financial support, PSPs can also provide psychosocial support. Many patients feel anxious, depressed, or lonely when facing illness, and these emotions may affect their adherence to treatment plans. By providing mental health resources and support groups, PSPs help patients address these emotional challenges and enhance their adherence to treatment plans. Additionally, PSPs can provide support through monitoring and tracking patient adherence. For example, some programs may regularly contact patients to ensure they take their medication on time and adhere to other treatment recommendations. Through this monitoring and tracking, healthcare teams can intervene in a timely manner and provide necessary support, thereby improving patient compliance and treatment effectiveness.

In practical projects, we have found that patients often feel overwhelmed with questions about their illness and subsequent care, especially after diagnosis or hospitalization. At this time, more educational knowledge is needed. Patients often discuss with family and friends or search online for related articles. However, due to the lack of medical knowledge, this may lead to receiving incorrect information or even delaying treatment. At this point, PSPs, with the intervention of professional healthcare personnel and in coordination with clinical medical care, will make patients feel at ease and willing to cooperate with treatment. This highlights the importance of PSPs in providing comprehensive support and resources. Through these programs, patients can better understand and manage their diseases and are more likely to adhere to medical recommendations, thereby improving clinical outcomes and health benefits.

 

Senior Patient Engagement Manger of PATIENTSFORCE , Amy Hsu 
amy.hsu@media-wind.com.tw

Reference


  • Demoly, P., Passalacqua, G., Pfaar, O., Sastre, J., & Wahn, U. (2016). Patient engagement and patient support programs in allergy immunotherapy: a call to action for improving long-term adherence. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, 12(1), 1-8. 
  • Ganguli, A., Clewell, J., & Shillington, A. C. (2016). The impact of patient support programs on adherence, clinical, humanistic, and economic patient outcomes: a targeted systematic review. Patient preference and adherence, 711-725.