#OurHealthIsYourHealth
Healthcare is a Two-Way Street
Our healthcare workforce is being stretched to the brink of burnout.
Learn what you can do as a patient to be a more equitable partner in care.
An Open Letter To Our Patients
Our relationship has evolved a lot over the past 20 years. We've transitioned from a model where we made decisions about your care on your behalf to one where we collaborate and share decision-making together, as partners.We're amazed and excited by this shift towards empowered patients, fueled by personalized health data from wearables and digital technologies, as well as the abundance of information available through electronic health records, patient portals, and telehealth services.However, it's important that you know the challenges we face on our end. Many of us are grappling with burnout at alarming rates due to heavy workloads, administrative burdens, and inadequate support systems. In fact, almost half of healthcare providers in the United States report symptoms of burnout, which is driving some of our colleagues to leave the profession altogether. The World Health Organization predicts a global shortage of 13 million healthcare workers by 2035 if this trend continues.This is where you come in. You have the power to help alleviate healthcare provider burnout. By being a more engaged, empathic, and mindful participant in your care, you can help create an environment where everyone's health – yours and ours – is valued and supported.The information, tips, and resources you find here will help you play a more effective and impactful role in our care partnership. Because after all, our health is your health.Sincerely,
Your healthcare providers
27 hrs
Estimated time it would take physicians to provide optimal patient care
2.6 hrs
Average time healthcare providers spend on clerical and administrative tasks each day
1.5 hrs
Average time healthcare providers spend responding to messages after hours
Provider Stories
Discover how burnout is affecting healthcare providers, both personally and professionally.
Dr. Sonya Ross
Primary Care Physician
Erika Carson
Functional Nutritionist
A Guide to Better Interactions
Learn ways to participate, advocate, and communicate as a patient to build a more effective and equitable relationship with your healthcare provider.
#OurHealthIsYourHealth
Become a True Partner in Your Care
Participate
Patients who actively participate in their care have higher levels of satisfaction, are more likely to adhere to treatment plans, and have more realistic expectations of their providers. From making healthy lifestyle choices, to engaging in shared-decision making about treatment, being an engaged partner in your own care can help ease the burden on healthcare providers.
Practice being a Responsible Patient
Engage in multiple forms of self-care
Understand the importance of patient participation
“It's important that patients are partners - not just recipients - of care.”
René Riley, Nurse Practitioner
Advocate
Self-advocacy goes a step beyond participation to include gaining and using knowledge to assertively communicate your needs and make decisions related to your own health. When you advocate for yourself, you become an active participant in the patient-provider relationship, sharing the workload and responsibility of your health outcomes equally with your provider.
Know how to fight for your rights as a patient
Enhance your self-advocacy skills
Toolkit to help take charge of your health
“When we talk about self-advocacy, what we mean is taking an active role.”
Gerard Gray, Psychiatrist
Communicate
Effective healthcare connections thrive on Patient-Centered Communication, valuing the individual holistically: personality, history, goals, and health obstacles. As patients, you can mirror this behavior by asking informed questions, being open and honest about your health, and being mindful of the frequency and nature of your communication - including digital messages - with your provider.
“Patients don’t usually know we're spending two hours every night on inbox work.”
Elena Garcia, RN