Opinion

Epiphany Du Jour Learning To Be An Effective Patient Post-Diagnosis Is Learning Too Late

Question #1: What is the likelihood that an individual reaching  adulthood in the US will eventually find himself or herself in the role of a patient?
Answer #1: Almost certain

Question #2: When and how does one typically learn to how to operate effectively in the patient role?
Answer #2: While  learning to operate in the patient role theoretically takes place whenever one visits a clinician for any reason, that process, which could charitably be called learning by doing, is a hit or miss affair that routinely receives little attention until one is concerned about the possibility of or diagnosed with an anxiety-provoking disorder*

Question #3: What is the worst possible way and the worst possible time to learn to operate effectively in the patient role?
Answer #3: See Answer #2

A Illustrative Scenario

Consider this example: An asymptomatic,  intelligent 34 year old woman with only minor interactions previously with organized medicine is diagnosed with breast cancer during a routine exam.  Her doctor informs her (accurately) that any delay in treatment increases her risk. She is immediately faced with the decision of whether or not to follow the primary recommendation for surgical intervention and, if she agrees, which of the 2-4 possible procedures she wishes.  If she declines  the surgical procedures, she must decide which, if any, of the alternative treatments she will undergo. She also has to deal with the impact the diagnosis and treatment will have on her spouse, her children,  her job, her friends, and her extended family.

This is, I submit, a suboptimal situation for learning to be an effective patient, the intensity of ones motivation notwithstanding.

The Solution Teaching How To Be An Effective Patient In The K-12 Curriculum

An explicit goal of elementary, middle, and high schools is preparing children to undertake  adult tasks. Thus, in addition to  learning basic math, writing methodology, and reading comprehension, students also take courses in sex  education, nutrition, consumer skills, and managing relationships.

Learning the skills necessary to be an effective patient, such as what to expect from, how to communicate with, and when to seek help from healthcare professionals, how to understand medical reports, pharmaceutical ads, and other pertinent printed and online literature, , is at least as important as learning about the risks of unprotected sex or the need to save a portion of ones paycheck against future needs.

Making How To Be An Effective Patient  part of the K-12 school Health curriculum is no panacea, but it seems a rational and promising alternative that is likely to substantially improve the current just too late methodology.**

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Notes:

This article was orignally posted at AlignMap: Becoming An Effective Patient Should Begin In The Classroom, Not The Examination Room.

*In addition, there are educational processes that are even more sporadic and variable in quality: individuals may, for example, read articles about how to be a good patient, attend a workshop at the local hospital about how to communicate with your doctor, or receive information through various ad campaigns recommending that viewers ask their doctor about using one or another medication.

**This is one of those ideas that seems so obvious that one assumes it is being done already. And maybe it is, but I cant find any discussion of it

Credit Due Department: The photo atop this post was taken by Bhernandez. The schoolroom photo was taken by Rob Shenk