Meri Pekkanen: Occupational therapy, nutrition and other hot health stuff

From treating the patient into participating the client’s life

October 12, 2010 at 19:07 Leave a comment

Today we had a lecture by Mika Raulas regarding client and customer managing as a part of my JET (johtamisen erikoisammattitutkinto, a degree in leadership and management) education. Here are some quotes and things that came up, also some of my thoughts during the day.

Peter Drucker: The practice of management is to create a customer (marketing+innovativeness).

Customer satisfaction index = happy customers – (passive+negative customers).

In-bound marketing = while the customer contact is happening.

My first enlightment: instead of asking How does the client participate the occupational therapy service we should be asking How are WE participating the client’s life as therapists?

My second enlightment: the services shouldn’t be built diagnose or segment based. Instead, we should offer services based on the different needs the clients (or citizens) have. For example the care homes for elderly and the supported houses for mentally/cognitively handicapped people should be profiled by the level of functionality: what are the client’s special needs? It’s not about someone being “mentally handicapped” or plain “old“. It’s about the things that restrict normal, independent life that people need some adjustments or help to. Not their age or diagnose.

Applies also to my long term goal: to finally combine the somatic and the psychiatric health care. Only then we can treat the person as a whole. It’s impossible to try help a person when you only see the half of him/her medical history. It’s like seeing only half of the person. Since now some of you may be horrified that I’m suggesting putting loonies (in its most loving meaning) together with frail, fragile elderly people: no, I believe there are other possibilities. The idea needs careful researching and planning but I’m convinced, it can be done. In a way that benefits both the people and the system. We just need to start looking the thing from a new perspective and as a possibility instead of a threat.

Jeff Bezoz: it’s not important to focus on what your competitors do but to what’s happening in your clients’ lives.

Mika Raulas also gave us some homework: to figure out, what does the value of our service consist of. In my case this translates to: which are the elements of occupational therapy service at the city of Helsinki that create value to our clients? Well, I didn’t do my homework yet but I shall reveal my thoughts once they are thought. You are welcome to share yours!

For now, good night! It’s been a long day.

Entry filed under: Occupational Therapy.