It looks like it’s the doctors versus the patients. Our healthcare system in on the verge of a government takeover – a move which would severely limit the health choices of the vast majority of Americans.
Consequently, Dr. Val Jones of Better Health initiates a panel at the National Press Club with some of the brightest, most influential minds in the health blogosphere to help create an organized voice of reason. But the word on Twitter is, ‘No patients on the panel. What’s wrong with this picture?’
But a closer look at the panel shows that all members involved are actually patients themselves. In fact, there are those on the panel who have suffered with some pretty debilitating issues in their past. But their struggles and their personal histories are no business of ours. As advocates they are driven by a larger concern. Most importantly the panelists as I know them are uniquely qualified to represent anyone interested in an individuals ability to have a choice in their own health care.
As we all work to help create a better system for patients and practitioners, division and finger pointing only empower those desperate for a healthcare system run by big government. Hat tip to Dr Val Jones and Better Health for leveraging her influence to give patients like us a voice
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes, and we also have a much broader view of the problem than most patient-advocates. Those of us who see patients for a living have intimate experience with the flaws of the system.
We do, however, need to listen to as many voices as possible. The only way to keep this from being a Doc vs. Patient thing is to sit down together and talk.
I hope this doesn't turn into one of those "the doctor knows what's best for the little people" deals. No offense to the fine physicians who believe you all know what's best – without discussing with patients (you know, the customer/consumers who pay for healthcare), you do not REALLY know our needs. You simply assume.
Let me remind you please that it was good physicians with the very best sincere intentions who brought us the HMO.
Unless and until patients are active members of healthcare panels, you are automatically setting up a contentious atmosphere. When you exclude from the conversation about healthcare reform the very people who are the purpose for that reform, you make matters worse, not better.
We're not going to be sidelined anymore. If you make this docs against patients in the beginning, don't be surprised when we take an adversarial role.
This is an aside… I am in the UK, so watching this discussion from afar. A government take-over of healthcare may limit choice, but will it improve care? Access for all? Less chance of being bank-rupt by costs?
We have 'socialised' medicine in the UK, and I hope it stays.
I agree that doctors can be excellent advocated for under-served patients who often do not have a strong voice in negotiations on healthcare.
I truly believe those of you who listen to us (ePatients,patients) understand in some ways. I realize you are all patients, too. But can you say unequivocally that your experience as a patient is synonymous to the experiences we have as non-medical persons? Do you have the same data/record retrieval problem? Are you treated just like we are? Do you not get special consideration due to being doctors/medical personnel?
I don't think you can truly see it from the eyes of a "normal" patient (non-medical) with no ties to the medical system unless you are on. With utmost respect for you, it is my firm belief you aren't normal patients.
I agree with Dr. V.
As a person who has had seven unrelated surgeries in the past seven years, I think I've spent enough time as a patient to know what it's like to be in those shoes. Doctors and other "medical personnel" do not have their credentials tattooed on their chests or something so that clinicians know that they ought to be given special treatment. Unless we make an issue of it, it never comes up, and we are treated like anyone else. We deal with the same insurance nightmares, the same hard-to-reach doctors, the same HIPAA laws that make it a pain for anyone to get copies of their records, and so forth. As patents we're not special, but we can see the issue from both sides.
I may be in healthcare, but I also consider myself a patient advocate. Would you want me to feel otherwise?
Great discussion! I'm listening and learning. I didn't know that several of the doc panelists have also been on the recipient end of non-routine care – that's good to know.
Along those lines, I wrote about the "d-patient e-patients" http://is.gd/1wfUJ … docs who've been e-patients themselves. (Any of you who'd like, please add yr names there.)
Rob nails it with "sit down & talk together." Here we are.
Good to meet you, all. I hope I exemplify the listening aspect of social media, not just the megaphone aspect.
Somebody mentioned that many patient advocates arose out of being injured by the system one way or another. I wasn't – my life was saved by great docs. I *love* great healthcare. My motivation isn't to tear anything down, it's to do what I can in my "free replay on life" to help all patients (including d-patients) get access to the best care they possibly can.
That's why I'm more than glad to be learning from this exchange. It ain't about docs vs pts, in my view – it's about participatory medicine, collaboration, partnership.
In fact one of my first blog posts ever, after learning about e-patient movement, was "Don't be a jerk to your partner." (http://is.gd/1wg5i)
Of all the comments so far, Robin's comment is the most accurate. It is different being a patient in today's health care system if you do not have a medical degree compared to the experiences of those of us who have medical degrees and have become patients.
My experience as a patient in the medical system over the last 2 years was truly eye opening. I can attest that being a doctor was a blessing and a curse but it did give me a noticeable advantage over other patients in negotiating the system and in how the system treated me. I've gained enormous insight into why the typical patient often falls through the cracks or gets so lost in the system their care becomes fragmented and poor. To say our health care system is broken and dysfunction is a true understatement.
So, yes, we do become patients at times as health care professionals but let's not pretend we know what the typical patient experiences. We need people like e-Patient Dave to help us understand that so we can not only do our jobs better clinically but make sure health care reform ends up with a system that meets the needs of all patients, not the patients we think we are treating. Patient advocates like Dave are how we can learn to do a better job "putting patients first" and creating a system that perhaps does the same.