Patients, advocates, and families can be champions of the Less is More model. Health literacy, an interest in what makes us well and unwell, and the ability to ask the right questions can make all the difference.
Many people feel they are being overtested and overtreated, and worry about the potential for associated side effects or risks. Others feel like there are gaps in care or answers they are not getting. However, in both cases patients often don't know what questions to ask or believe it is wrong to challenge their healthcare provider. They also don't always know how to express their goals or explain what aspects of living are most important to them.
- Discover the idea of person (patient)-centred care
- Interact with some of the hands on resources that can aid in discussions with your healthcare providers
- Talk to your doctor in a way that makes your goals clear
- Learn about Shared Decision Making (SDM), what is it? how do I do it?
- tell your doctor about SDM; it may be the first time they've heard of patient care referred to in this way
- tell your doctor about SDM; it may be the first time they've heard of patient care referred to in this way
- Be inquisitive! Ask questions that will help get your goals and priorities across
- If you aren't sure how, read books like How Doctors Think or Talking to Your Doctor; check out the NIH's website Clear Communication: Talking to Your Doctor or the Centre for Advancing Health's Be A Prepared Patient resource
- Try Ask|Share|Know for a simple approach to discussions with your healthcare provider
- Learn about Shared Decision Making (SDM), what is it? how do I do it?
- Watch Dr James McCormack's video for a fun introduction on making wise choices in health care:
- Learn about research and systematic reviews, how to interpret medical evidence
- If you are keen on reading and understanding medical research and how guidelines and recommendations are made, you can delve deep!
- The Cochrane Collaboration has modules for healthcare consumers like Making sense of research, understanding Clinical trials, and background on how Systematic reviews are conducted
- Develop an Advance Directive so that your goals for living (and dying) are known
- Try these sites for guidance and templates advancedcareplanning.ca, nidus.ca, or POLST (a bit more complicated to navigate, but better if you are detail-oriented)
- Talk to your family about your wishes, so that they will be able to make decisions in keeping with your wishes, in case there's a time when you are unable to express them yourself
- Give a copy of your Advance Care Plan aka Advanced Directive to your primary care provider
- Count the number of medications you are on and consider asking your health provider to help you "de-prescribe"
- Watch this video on de-prescribing to learn more about why and how medications can be stopped
- Count the number of medications you are on and consider asking your health provider to help you "de-prescribe"
- se Dr Dee Mangin's tool to see if you are taking too many medications and could benefit from a drug review
- Watch this video on de-prescribing to learn more about why and how medications can be stopped
- Know that your healthcare providers are experts who will help enable you to achieve your goals for health and wellness, whenever possible. At the same time, don't be afraid to ask questions or remind them of what is most important to you. There are ways to disagree with your doctor
- Join or create a patient advocacy group
- some Canadian examples: Patients Canada, Canadian Patient Coalition, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, and Advocacy Centre for the Elderly
What do you think patients and their advocates can do differently? E-mail your thoughts or tweet them to @LessIsMoreMed