Don’t tell me about the delivery. Just show me the baby.
No need for the whole story. No desire for a play-by-play of every minute detail. Just the bottom line, the end-result.
I don’t know when things morphed, but an advantage I have at my age is the ability to look back and say with certainty that there has been an evolution in our lust for details.
Back in the day, you rooted for sports figures based on geographic or family loyalty, untainted by the sordid or stirring elements of their personal lives. Cars were chosen for looks and function, not a thirty-point decision tree. Medical decisions were made by the doctor, not by the patient.
Now, in the current age of information, you can amass a mountain of details. Beyond that, you can seek out and obtain an abundance of personal stories. Sometimes so many stories and so much data that you become immobilized. My daughter calls this analysis paralysis.
Navigating Health Care the Information Age
Does wading through every conceivable option help or hurt you in the field of health care?
Both. Understanding is key to “informed consent” which is the foundation used in decision making and directing your care.
But, the downside of too much information is what this does to the fear factor. Sensationalizing dramatic experiences garners press. And a morsel of bad press can skew statistics in your mind. The two percent negative outcomes of a medical procedure that goes viral can obliterate the 98 percent of success stories.
So be careful. Gather information, research, and review, but always consider facts and statistics in your decision-making. The tried-and-true practice of a second opinion regarding medical decisions remains the gold standard.
But, be careful to not obtain your second opinion in the same medical practice. Seek out a medical practice not associated with the first doctor. Credible physicians encourage a second look. And, ask your first and second doctor the same questions to compare the responses.
Another suggestion is to take someone with you when meeting with your doctor. A neutral observer in the exam room can take written notes of the conversation, notes that are not colored by emotion. You want someone who will not filter discussion points in or out based on their own prejudice. What’s needed is a neutral scribe.
One other piece of advice is to recognize that anyone can post their experience on social media or retell their nightmare. Refrain from making decisions based on a single person’s horror story. Health care has tremendous variables based on an individual’s response to a procedure or medication. Your experience can be completely different from theirs.
Web-based searches should be limited to credible medical sites like the Mayo Clinic or Web MD.
Remember, you want facts and statistics, not opinions or single events. Your health care is yours to personalize.
The Blueprint to Age Your Way is launching soon. Get a “sneak peek” and publication details here.
