Health promotion involves practitioners across disciplines, from public health workers to doctors. That said, primary care professionals are in a unique position to engage with patients in an impactful way.
Take health promotion in primary care to a new level by helping people learn how to make informed choices for their well-being.
Why Should Primary Care Physicians Engage in Health Education and Promotion?
Considering many people see the same PCP for years, they often develop a long-term relationship. That puts these doctors in a prime position to promote well-being.
Since doctors can get to know the person on a deeper level, they learn more details about a patient’s:
- Medical history
- Occupation
- Home life
- Relationships with others
- Treatment preferences
- Chronic or ongoing conditions (e.g., diabetes, asthma, hypertension)
With this background, PCPs can build rapport that makes it easier to promote healthy behaviors and preventative care. Plus, these long-term relationships make it easier to provide more personalized recommendations.
How You Can Get Involved
Practitioners may have multiple opportunities to incorporate health promotion in primary care. With that said, here are some things to note:
What You Do
Physicians often spend time promoting helpful behaviors. Ways that PCPs do this include:
- Educating patients about procedures or treatments
- Learning about social determinants of health (SDoH)
- Encouraging the use of services and treatments in high-risk patients
- Promoting self-care and educating about risky behaviors
- Making referrals to other medical professionals or community resources
Even if a physician already does some of these, it’s helpful to make a concerted effort to put these concepts into practice.
Types of Health Education
There are multiple ways practitioners may engage in health education. According to the Rural Health Information Hub, the three education levels include:
- Individual: Includes home visits and personal communication with patients and relatives
- Community: Includes small-group lectures, discussions, workshops, and webinars
- Population: Includes TV and radio programs or ads, printed materials, and social media content
In the office, PCPs will primarily engage with patients on an individual level. However, some participate in community-oriented activities to help promote general well-being.
Suggestions From Professional Health Organizations
Multiple professional organizations discuss how practitioners can participate in health education and promotion. The AMA and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) provide specific guidelines to follow.
AMA Code of Medical Ethics Guidelines
As part of their Code of Medical Ethics, the AMA includes information about health promotion. Physicians should stay updated on preventative care practices and promote vaccinations and screenings.
The AMA also asks doctors to educate patients about person-specific health risks and consider SDoH in the management of medical conditions.
Additionally, PCPs should model positive behaviors and focus on using a patient-centered approach.
AAFP Suggestions
The AAFP also highlights the importance of public health initiatives in a primary care setting. In a position paper, the organization suggested that doctors take these actions:
- Understand the role of public health in their work with patients and the community.
- Identify and record the individual impacts of SDoH in electronic medical records.
- Include community voices in planning through advisory councils, health needs assessments, and communication.
The organization also offers information about community-, educational-, and advocacy-level health promotion.
Why It Matters
While many people are involved in health promotion, PCPs should make an effort to participate. Some of the ways your involvement can help patients include:
- Reducing the frequency with which people get sick
- Improving patients’ quality of life
- Educating people about how their lifestyle choices affect their well-being
- Impacting children’s overall well-being, including school performance
- Preparing the community for the health effects of natural disasters and public concerns
If you’re ready to learn more about how you can optimize health promotion in the primary care setting, continuing medical education (CME) can help. Browse in-person and online conferences for topics relevant to public health trends and patient communication to get started.
