#53 - Shared Decision Making for Atopic Dermatitis & Your Health Care Team

Tips on how to make the best of your atopic dermatitis management and care plan.

 

Atopic dermatitis is not a diagnosis that you should go at alone. Your care team can consist of multiple health care professionals, from your GP to a nurse, a therapist, and even your pharmacist. Additionally, you should be an active member in creating your healthcare plan since you are the one who needs to follow through with it day in and day out. 

In this final episode of our Atopic Dermatitis in Skin of Color series, Dr. G and Kortney talk to Tonya Winders, the president of Allergy Asthma Network, to discuss the nurse's role in AD management and shared decision-making. Tonya also shares her experiences of having a daughter with atopic dermatitis and the psychological toll the disease can have on patients. 

 

What we cover in this episode:

- Who can all be a part of your healthcare team

- Telehealth for atopic dermatitis

- Why decision aids are essential to use

 

Interview with Tonya Winters: 

- Nurses in an outpatient setting - understanding their role in patients with atopic dermatitis.

- Nurse versus a nurse practitioner

- Developing an atopic dermatitis plan - asking what your goals are.

- Allergy and Asthma Network is working to help more nurses and physician assistants to become certified in managing atopic dermatitis.

- Shared decision making - what is it, and how can you be sure you are practicing this with your healthcare team

- How to talk to your doctor about your financial situation when making your treatment plan

- Using shared decision aids to help with shared decision making and as a guide to talking with your care team.

- The importance of addressing psychological health for people with atopic dermatitis

 

Helpful Links:

The role of the nurse in the care and management of patients with atopic dermatitis - Paper co-authored by Tonya: https://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12912-020-00494-y

Shared Decision Making Aids: www.ithcpodcast.com