July 14, 2000
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THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA July 14, 2000 |
| by Patty Pitts A Victoria-based initiative promoting self-care through a health information hotline and a handbook should be expanded province-wide, according to an evaluation of the program written by Dr. Jennifer Mullett, B.C. Health Research Foundation research scholar at UVic’s community health promotion coalition. The “Partnerships for Better Health” program is sponsored by the provincial Ministry of Health, medical services plan and the Capital Health Region (CHR) of B.C. The successful two-year pilot project, involving approximately 12,000 CHR households, was popular with participants. Callers to the health support line, staffed by nurses, increased consistently every month of the project. “The project resulted in better-informed consumers who wanted to feel they were helping to keep health care system costs down,” says Mullett, who chaired the evaluation committee of physicians, nurses, academics and health care administrators. The community health promotion coalition operates within the faculty of human and social development. “Partnerships for Better Health” was launched in 1997 to test whether easier access to health care information would encourage people to increase their health knowledge and treat minor ailments and injuries themselves instead of making costlier trips to hospitals or doctors’ offices. Participants reported that, when they do visit their doctors, they’re more likely to engage them in discussions and prepare a list of questions prior to their visits. However, some people still visited their doctors, just to tell them they had treated themselves. “They wanted to keep their doctors informed and have a record of the treatment,” says Mullett, “but there are cheaper ways of doing that than an office visit. We recommend that the program develop an easier way of record keeping — via computer, a letter or even just a visit with the doctor’s assistant.” The evaluation committee also suggested better advertising of the credentials of the nurses who staffed the health support line from 3 to 10:45 p.m. every day, so that participants don’t mistake them for an answering service. Since some participants still sought out their physicians for validation that their self-care was proper, the committee recommends more doctors’ support for the program to increase user confidence. |