Deciding What Treatment is Right for Someone.. A Meaningful Task

This week I decided to talk about a subject that I believe is a key component in a person’s successful treatment, going to the right treatment facility. But how do we decide what is the right treatment for somebody, and is it the same for all? It is a question that I hear come up often.

I want to start by bringing up my favorite word, reciprocation. Those of you that know me well know how much I hate that word. I understand that there is a level of business in the treatment industry, people send clients to people who send to them, which is very understandable, but on the same note I truly don’t believe in referring a patient to a program just because I need to reciprocate. We can’t forget that we are dealing with human beings here. Too many look at these patients as dollar signs or poker chips they are cashing in on, and it is not justifiable.

A couple of the ways that we decide at Sunrise is by taking into account their history, prior treatment, longevity of using, financing, and family dynamic. For instance, sometimes the mother of three has a hard time going away for 30 days, especially if it is her first time in treatment. In that case, we might recommend an intensive outpatient program.

Sometimes finances play a part in where is right for someone. Although there are some clinicians who don’t like to be concerned about financing, the truth is, it is a par t of the puzzle.

There are many elements involved in determining the type of program for the specific individual. Depending on someone’s treatment history, they may need a gender specific treatment center. Another element is that for some a 30 day program may not be enough, a person may need 90 days, or more, all which are alternatives for a patient.

The reason I brought up the reciprocation aspect first is because doing that makes us not look at all those elements that need to be taken into account for a person to get the proper treatment for them. We, in the industry, have to realize that just because we have relationships does not give us the permission to not fully look at what a patient needs. While that place may be the right one for the patient, it also may not be.

We are dealing with people’s lives, and the decisions that we make as a referral source could possibly change or affect the rest of their lives. We need to remember that.