Come Again? Did You Hear That Correctly?| | A recent study indicates we patients don’t hear what our doctors tell us. But that’s really only part of the story.
The study was done on patients who suffered from chest pain, called angina. They were offered an intervention which involved inserting stents, tiny coils that hold arteries open which then allow blood to flow more easily, to relieve the pain.
Afterward, those who chose to have the stents inserted were questioned about why they had decided to undergo the procedure. 88 percent believed the stents would reduce their risk of having a heart attack. 82 percent believed a stent would reduce their risk of dying from a heart attack.
However, according to cardiologists, except in emergencies, stent placement does not reduce the risk for either having a heart attack, or having a fatal heart attack. The purpose of stents is only to relieve pain.
All the stent patients involved had signed informed consent agreements prior to their interventions. So how could so many have gotten the wrong impression of the benefits?
We don’t know what those cardiologists told their patients, because those conversations weren’t monitored.
What we do know is that stent insertions are a very lucrative business. Specialized cardiologists called interventionalists, make thousands of dollars from inserting just one or two stents, even though, in 2007, a major study showed that inexpensive generic drugs can often relieve angina. Not surprisingly, there may be a profit motive that gets in the way of clear communications.
But there is another communications disconnect, too. While it’s possible those doctors didn’t give patients complete information, the patients obviously didn’t ask enough questions to be sure they understood what they were consenting to either.
How can we patients be sure we get the information we need? It’s the doctor’s job to be sure we understand completely. But when we put the fear of pain or death alongside the profit motive, we may not gain that understanding unless we actively seek clarification.
No matter what the conversation, make sure you understand your doctor clearly. Begin with, “Doctor, let me make sure I understand….” Then restate what the doctor just told you. If she corrects you, then restate it again until you know you have it right.
When it comes to our health care, we patients must be sure we understand exactly what the risks and benefits are to any form of test or treatment before we give consent.
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