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Treatment decisions: empowering patients

The patient's illness ought to be the core concern. Patients should be involved in the treatment, alongside healthcare professionals.

Modern medicine relies increasingly on technology. While technology constantly pushes back the boundaries of science and expands the scope of treatment, often to the patient's benefit, it does not encourage a dialogue between healthcare professional and patient.

And yet patients have increasingly higher expectations of healthcare professionals when it comes to consideration, information at each stage – from seeking a diagnosis to identifying all the potential treatments – and appropriate care.

Independent patients' groups provide additional information based on experience sharing by people suffering from the same illness. They provide patients with an important source of support and mutual help, and promote discussion to gain a better understanding of the disease. They can facilitate dialogue with healthcare professionals and offer healthcare professionals a different perception of the disease.

Clear, comprehensive, independent and pertinent information at each stage of treatment must be given to patients to help them make informed decisions.

Healthcare professionals must adapt their approach to each individual patient and speak in a language that is understandable, taking into account the patient's psychological state, so that patients feel they are being supported rather than seen as just a subject being treated, and also so that they can act as empowered individuals and manage their illness on a day-to-day basis.

©Prescrire September 2010

Source: Numéro spécial "Agir pour l'accès de chacun aux soins de qualité" Rev Prescrire 2010; 30 (322).

View the table of contents
for the special issue of
la revue Prescrire:
"Agir pour l'accès de chacun
aux soins de qualité"
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