Rebecca Burkholder weighs in on the Question #2 of the Great Challenges, Role of the Patient: Is there a conflict between empowering patients and honoring the expertise and authority of medical professionals? If so, what are the tradeoffs and how do we find the best balance? To learn more visit www.tedmed.com/GreatChallenges.

1. Question #2
Is there a conflict between empowering
patients and honoring the expertise and
authority of medical professionals? If so,
what are the tradeoffs and how do we
find the best balance?

2. The answer is NO, because health
care professionals should
welcome empowered and engaged
patients to the health care team!
(But, we know this is not what always happens . . . )

3. Is there a conflict? Patients vs. Providers?
• This question implies that the empowered
patient is a threat to the health care
professional (HCP), rather than an ally
• And, we don’t think that should be the case
• However, in reality there is sometimes
disagreement

4. Empowered Patient vs. Authority of HCP
• What influences contribute to that conflict and
tip the balance of power in the relationship?

5. Tipping the Balance: Patient Access to Health Information
Proliferation of health information on the
Internet and patient reliance on it as scientific
findings (both the good and bad information)
can be irritating to health care professionals
and affects the HCP-patient relationship.
(Journal of Medical Internet Research)

6. The challenge of
sorting the good
health information
from the bad

7. Tipping the balance: Direct-to-Consumer
(DTC) Advertising of prescription drugs
and impact on HCP – Patient relationship
DTC ads have turned upside down the old relationship when the doctor
was god-like in knowledge of health issues and patients were deferential
•Some say DTC educates and informs about health conditions and
treatments, and encourages dialogue
•Others say ads promote inappropriate and overuse of drugs; not
balanced on risks and benefits (See these videos analyzing ads)

8. One study found that nearly 40% of physicians
saw the ads as damaging to the efficiency of
doctor visits. The effect of the ads on the HCP-
Patient relationship was strongly associated with
doing what the patient wanted regarding the
advertised drug

9. Balance of Power
Information can tip the balance in the HCP-patient
relationship
But shouldn’t access to information strengthen the
relationship?

10. Open Notes project – evidence of
bringing together the empowered
patient and HCP through
information
The project found that when
patients have ready access to their
doctors' visit notes, the vast majority
feel more in control of their health

11. With shared information
and collaboration comes
true partnership – and,
most importantly of all,
better health.