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JULY 2016 | The Surgical Technologist | 307 Health Production and Patient Engagement L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S s Evaluate how important an open line of communication plays in health production s List the terms involved in the five- step communication tool AIDET s Discuss why patient engagement is crucial to providing the best care s Review the patient-centered and collaborative care models discussed in this article s Summarize how the role of the healthcare professional affects patient engagement T hough a bit dated, the intent of this statement is still the same as it was 14 years ago; members of the healthcare industry are being advised to get serious about creating new ways of providing care. In the age of transformation, the healthcare industry suffers from a variety of issues. Among these issues is the fiery debate on how healthcare reform incentivizes caregivers to improve care through pay-for-performance policies. According to many researchers, positive patient’s satisfaction goes hand in hand with well-being and good clin- ical outcomes. 7 These researchers have found that the primary mecha- nism to improve the production of health among the general public relies on seeking patients’ involvement in their own care. The concept of patient participation in the production of wellness is not all that new; however, a renewed focus on population health and an apprecia- tion of the need to control healthcare costs have refocused patient- Er i ka Fowler , cst, mph; Ann Cole , mha, rt (r) “Unless the healthcare community can overcome some of the barriers and false operating assumptions that inhibit innovative and creative responses to the changing demands of society, it will remove itself fromthe opportu- nity to successfully coauthor its own future.” 2