Service Agreements for Me and My Team

I wrote a blog post recently for the Society of Participatory Medicine about Service Agreements among Friends and Colleagues. My point was that service agreements set boundaries and expectations, which can be especially important for someone who’s managing a chronic condition. What if we had service agreements with members of our health team, professional and non-professional? And ourselves. Could we think of care plans as service agreements? Person-centered care planning focuses on the goals of the person on the health journey. Who’s going to do what to get there? When? How will these goals and activities be tracked and shared across time and settings? The service agreement is the who's doing what to get there and when are they going to do it? 

One of my personal health goals is to progress as slowly as possible with my Multiple Sclerosis.

My part of the service agreement:

• Take my MS and other meds as prescribed
• Maintain my strength and balance by exercising as planned every other day
• Walk 3,500 steps a day
• Rest when I'm tired
• Continue meaningful work at least three hours in four out of seven days
• Actively reduce manageable stress
• Continue with acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage
• Keep my neurologist and PCP informed when my status changes

My neurologist and PCP will:

• Keep my health goals in mind as we travel this journey together
• Prescribe the least amount of medication necessary to manage my MS and MS symptoms in consultation with me
• Respect my non-medical care
• Respond to my status reports and questions sent via portal within two business days
• Refer me to specialists as needed who will respect and appreciate my engaged style​

My family will:

• Help me be safe
• Console me when I'm scared
• Participate in my care plan when they're able
• Keep me honest
• Allow me to function to maximum capacity

Now I better share this with them. I think they'll get a kick out of it and say we're already doing it.

Danny blogs weekly at http://www.health-hats.com

Danny van Leeuwen, Opa, RN, MPH, CPHQ
Health Hats
www.health-hats.com (blog)
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Danny, an action catalyst empowering people traveling together toward best health, wears many hats in healthcare: patient with MS, care partner for several family members’ end-of-life journeys, a nurse for 40 years, an informaticist and a QI leader. Danny focuses on learning what works for people - patient-centered research, communication at transitions of care, health planning and informed decision-making, and technology supporting solutions created by and for people. He reviews PCORI research funding applications and serves as co-chair of PCORI’s Communication and Dissemination Advisory Panel. Danny is active in the Society for Participatory Medicine. Danny blogs weekly (www.health-hats.com) and was recently published in BMJ. 
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