The underestimated potential of patient competence
Doctors have studied for many years. They have an immense knowledge that they are constantly developing and we as patients profit significantly from it. And yet sometimes we feel that medical decisions do not sufficiently meet our needs.
How you can improve the results of doctor’s consultations thanks to your patient competence.
We expect scientifically based decisions from doctors. Accordingly, the decisions made in doctor-patient consultations mainly reflect the specialised competence of the medical profession. More and more people are of the opinion that this is not sufficient.
"A patient in the clinic; a person in the world": this is the title of a scientific article, which was published a few years ago. (*).
To ensure the person as a whole – and not just organs and symptoms – is considered during doctor’s consultations, something has to be done. And people are in a position to do something, if they mobilise their patient competence.
In referring to “patient competence” we mean two skills:
People’s ability to employ their own resources to prevent and manage illnesses– for example, by consciously adjusting their lifestyle, paying attention to a balanced diet, etc.
Knowing oneself
The impact of knowledge and valuesIn the context of doctor-patient consultations, knowledge of oneself and personal values in particular play a role:
- What is your attitude toward life and death?
- What do you understand when we speak of “being healthy” or “living healthily”?
- What is more important to you? Quality of life or length of life?
- How do you define quality of life?
- How do you assess risks (e.g., from side-effects)?
- How important is your relatives’ opinion to you?
- Which events in life had the most influence on you?
- To what extent would you like to be informed?
- To what extent would you like to have a part in decision-making?
Different, but complementary
As the patient you are the only one who really knows! When it comes to making medical decisions, it is essential that your views and your preferences be taken into consideration.
Decisions which are made exclusively on the basis of professional medical knowledge may, in some circumstances, completely ignore the needs of the patients concerned.
The best decisions arise if they are medically based (professional competence) and at the same time if they are made while taking into consideration what patients know about themselves.
Doctors cannot correctly guess the personal values and preferences of their patients.
Therefore, in advance of important, difficult doctor’s consultations, you write down what is important to you in general and in principle. (There is space for this in EverAsk.) And be sure to inform your doctor about these things.
Reference
A patient in the clinic; a person in the world. Why shared decision making needs to center on the person rather than the medical encounter. Clayman, Marla L., Gulbrandsen, Pål, Morris, Megan A. Patient Education and Counseling, 2017, Volume 100, Issue 3