There are many treatment options available to those seeking addiction recovery. Because of the wide variety of options, it can be challenging for some to determine what facility and program are best. Unfortunately, some programs may not offer the most quality patient care for many reasons.
Most professionals in the addiction recovery space realize and acknowledge that individuals may not know what they are looking for in a program. Where they end up should be of the highest possible quality. After all, a quality treatment program can make all the difference between a life of active addiction and a life of recovery.
Quality patient care requires a treatment center and its staff to offer individualized treatment, evidence-based modalities, holistic practices, and a variety of programs both during and post-treatment.
The first way to ensure patient care is of high quality is by prioritizing treatment from start to finish. Each facility may have different treatment timelines. Some programs last 30 days, while others extend treatment to 90 and even 120 days at times. Over the years, professionals in the recovery field have realized that there is no proper timeline or length of stay in treatment. Instead of creating and implementing a singular program, more professionals are focusing on ensuring that clients leave better off than they came, regardless of timeline.
With this prioritization of programs that treat people from start to finish, facilities also prioritize long-term communication and connection with their clients. Addiction is isolating. In treatment, people bond with peers and professionals to create relationships that have the potential to span a lifetime. That sense of community helps reduce feelings of isolation for many people, even long after leaving a facility.
Another significant way to prioritize quality patient care is by offering individualized treatment. No two experiences with addiction are alike. As such, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment.
Individualized patient care can be implemented after thorough initial assessments during the admissions process. During these assessments, clinicians determine what kind of conditions are in question with any given client — substance use disorder (SUD), behavioral addiction, and potential co-occurring disorders. Staff members can also gather information to gauge client experience, which will help them create a plan of action for their treatment.
An individual's care team at their chosen facility considers many factors when creating an individualized care plan. These factors include the type of addiction, severity, length of addiction, and co-occurring disorders or symptoms. The more individualized the plan, the more effective it is in the long run. Individualized treatment plans are a crucial part of quality patient care at any facility.
The third essential way facilities can offer quality patient care is by monitoring their clients' progress and adjusting their care plan as needed. Addiction recovery is an evolving process. As clients learn more about themselves, they will inherently uncover more about their struggles. These revelations can lead to both positive and negative results. On the one hand, the more they learn about their problems, the more adept they'll be at handling them. However, such a journey of self-discovery can also lead down a rabbit hole of triggers. If unprepared, these triggers may harm treatment or recovery if they do not know how to cope effectively.
As clients progress or show signs of needing more or different help, their care plan must change with them. As they move through the treatment process, they need different levels of care and attention.
Additionally, learning to monitor progress is crucial for clients as they leave treatment and return to their everyday lives. There is no better teacher than experience. When the client's care team models effective progress monitoring and makes adjustments based on changing needs, the client will learn how to monitor themselves throughout recovery.
Because addiction is isolating, community and communication post-treatment can help clients through the early recovery stages. Offering an aftercare or alumni program is an excellent way to deliver consistent community and communication to clients. Alumni programs have several benefits for those in recovery, such as the ability to seek advice, talk, and stay connected with treatment peers and professionals.
Other benefits clients can experience from an alumni or aftercare program include:
Clients need fellowship and encouragement throughout their recovery. An aftercare program is an excellent way to ensure they receive this quality patient-care post-treatment.
Addiction treatment has evolved exponentially over the past couple of decades. Thanks to advances in medicine, mental health research, and what we know about addiction, professionals have spent time curating their treatment program offerings to provide effective ways to treat anyone struggling with substance use disorder (SUD), behavioral addiction, or co-occurring disorder. Individualized care plans are the most effective way to offer quality patient care to everyone in search of recovery. Monitoring progress and offering post-treatment aftercare is also essential. These factors ensure the highest quality of care for current and prospective clients and their journey to achieving and maintaining long-term treatment. Call NorthStar Transitions at (303) 558-6400 to learn more about how quality patient care affects treatment.
