Phase 3 Video Reflection
Phase 3 is my area of interest. Most of my health career has centered on
prevention. I want my patients to have the greatest chance of optimal
health possible. Keeping them from ever needing to enter the hospital or
suffering illness has always been important to me. I hold a master's degree
in health education and promotion, and I created a health coaching toolkit for
medical practices to utilize in managing and preventing chronic disease. I
have a health coaching practice where I do the same. So, this was my
favorite part of the exercises.
My patient had a MI. Primary prevention encompasses all the usual items
promoted by the AHA and ACC, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising
regularly, quitting smoking, and abstaining from alcohol. Sometimes primary
prevention can include medications if the patient has high blood pressure,
diabetes, or other cardiovascular issues.
Secondary prevention focuses more on screening and treatment, so
medications also fall under this category. Medications fit in all three areas of
prevention. Medications continued to be a critical category that required
attention. I recall conducting blood pressure workshops many years ago,
where patients could come in and screen for hypertension. It was a great
opportunity to provide education and awareness. This was facilitated
through the health department, so community resources are a great way to
provide some of the things patients need and address social determinants,
such as access and literacy.
Tertiary prevention is more of a maintenance prevention after MI, but also a
way to prevent another hospitalization. Intense lifestyle modification of risk
factors is essential. Diet, exercise, smoking cessation, supportive care, and a
smooth transition home make a great difference. Cardiac rehabilitation,
appropriate medications, and communication about them, while addressing
various social determinants affecting these, are another effective
intervention as part of tertiary prevention. I believe this can be the hopeful
aspect of prevention, where patients become comfortable with their
condition and make meaningful contributions to their own care and
prevention. They can feel significantly better after receiving treatment, and
hopefully, they want to maintain that improvement.
