| The health care system, along with other service industries, has recently sought to serve patients through models of person-centered care. Bolstered by ideals of respect for autonomy and individual values, medical professionals seek to provide medical care that supports the well-being of patients beyond physiology alone. However, in the acute hospital setting there exist numerous barriers that make this goal difficult. Physicians and staff are faced with ethical dilemmas daily while encountering patients faced with high stress situations, critical decision-making, and planning for the future in the context of serious illness. Providers of medical care are often unable to help resolve these situations due to their competing obligations.;This practicum-based thesis is based on my experience piloting the new role of Clinical Decision Support Liaison at a Novant Health tertiary care center. This role intended to serve patient needs through increased conversations about goals and improved communication between physicians and patients. During this practicum I discovered the palliative nature of exploring patient values, assisting with decision-making, and offering support to patients in the inpatient setting; each of these measures brought comfort to patients. While engaging in ethical evaluation, I also provided invaluable support to patients through communication skills and mediation. My practicum experience suggests that in seeking person-centered care, hospitals must focus on both the physiological and the psychosocial sources of well-being in patients.;The following chapters include information regarding the intent and development of the new role, the impact of the role as illustrated by three narratives of my encounters with patients and staff, and my reflections and recommendations for implementation of this role in the future. |
