Concordance is the new buzz word on how healthcare providers should begin to deliver healthcare in order to get the best end results for the patient. We had a discussion in class about concordance and it stuck with me. Concordance means patient is at the center of care, because the patient is the expert of their own life not the healthcare provider . Which sounds easy and many healthcare providers believe we are doing this because we give lip services with slogans, but the implementation of concordance is hard for healthcare providers to allow patients to be expert of their care.
In class we discussed what concordance would look like to us and could we really provide concordance in healthcare practice with the time restraints put on healthcare providers. I believe we can achieve concordance and work together as a partnership, where the patient is in control because all the cards are out on the table. To me concordance would look like sitting down with the patient and talking about the largest barrier to care insurance/finances. How different would it be to hear your patient say what type of care they want meaning medications, sessions, groups etc., and you educate the patient about what their insurance will cover and how much out of pocket they will have to pay to allow them to make the best possible decision for themselves? In order to achieve concordance healthcare providers must provide and explore all the harm and benefits of the patients options in order for the patient to choose the best evidence based option for their life.
So, I found this article that talks about the value and application of concordance in nursing practice. The article defines the difference between compliance, adherence, and concordance. After reading the article I found myself thinking about how I could implement concordance into my practice as an upcoming Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. I recommend everyone read this article and think about what concordance would look like to them and could you implement it into your current practice?
McKinnon, J. (2013). The case for concordance: value and application in nursing practice. British Journal Of Nursing, 22(13), 766-771