Think Like a Consumer to Stay Healthy This is the tale of two gentlemen who had treatment decisions to make, and found they needed to think not just as patients, but as consumers, too. The first was told he needed surgery to treat his prostate cancer. He knew a neighbor with a similar diagnosis, who had opted instead for radioactive seed implants, a less-invasive form of treatment. The gentleman asked if I knew the differences in benefits between those options. When I asked what kind of doctor he had visited, he replied that his family doctor had referred him to a urologic surgeon who insisted surgery was the better answer. Of course! A surgeon will recommend surgery because that’s his training, and that’s how he makes money! I suggested the man get a second opinion from a urologist who was not a surgeon, who would explain a variety of options, including seed implants, chemo, surgery, and others. Only then could he make the right choice for himself. The second gentleman had been told he needed laparoscopic prostate surgery. He had done enough research to know that in some more advanced hospitals, prostatectomies are being done with robots, and that there are lifelong benefits to that less-invasive approach. He was concerned because his surgeon had recommended against using the robot, and that didn’t make sense to him. I asked if that surgeon had been trained in the use of the robot. It turned out that no, the surgeon did not have that training. That was the answer, then. The surgeon wouldn’t recommend something he didn’t know how to do himself. Since then, the man has visited a surgeon who operates using the robot. Now he can make a better-informed choice. When you are given treatment recommendations, think like a consumer, not just like a patient. Many doctors will make recommendations based on what their training is, their familiarity, convenience, insurance coverage, or how much money they can make. It doesn’t mean those are bad treatment options. It simply means you don’t have all the information you need to make the best choice for you. If you think there’s a possibility those factors have influenced your doctor’s recommendations to the exclusion of others, then seek another opinion from someone who can provide additional recommendations, or can provide a counter-point to your first doctor. Sharp patients are good medical consumers, too. Arming yourself with additional knowledge will help you realize your best medical outcome. ~ © 2007 Trisha Torrey | 
