"Patient Passports" Inform Doctors and Improve Outcomes

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal, discussed the developing idea of "Patient Passports." A Patient Passport is a written document which contains all the basic medical information about the patient, but also has a place for the patient to express concerns about quality of life, the need for medically related services, such as counseling, and many other matters. These important items are often overlooked in the brief visit with the doctor.

 

The article says, "Many patients are afraid to ask doctors questions for fear of appearing to challenge them [doctors], studies have found, and doctors often don’t take the time to listen to their input. Yet when patients and families are fully involved in medical decisions and able to express themselves, studies show it can result in better patient outcomes, lower risk of medical errors and fewer readmissions after discharge."

In the Introduction to my book, Patient Confidential, Tips and Advice To Keep You Safe As You Navigate the Healthcare System, I stress the critical importance of the patient's becoming informed. I say, "Careful patients and their caregivers now ask questions and smart doctors not only answer questions but give patients and caregivers full explanations up front, before the questions come." I then apply this principle to all the various healthcare encounters, the office visit, tests, hospitalization and so on.  Becoming informed is so important that in the Afterword, I say, "If you learned nothing else, I hope you learned how critical it is that you be proactive in your healthcare. If you don't understand something or it doesn't sound right, ask, ask, and ask some more."