James Bussel shares his perspective as a physician on how patients can best approach voicing concerns or dissatisfaction with their ITP treatment.
Transcript
Even though times have changed, physicians generally are not happy when patients say, “Well, you may have recommended this, but I don’t want to do it.” So when you’re pushing back on a care plan, probably that’s not very different from a lot of other settings in life where they may say, “Buy television X,” and you say, “I don’t want to. I don’t like something about that, even though you’re telling me it’s the best television set.”
Now, obviously, when it’s your health, it cuts nearer and deeper to your heart than that, and it potentially allows more room for misunderstandings.
How you handle that, ideally as a patient would be, if you’re not happy with something, you’re entitled. It’s you who’s getting the treatment. And if you need to push back, you should push back. But if you can do it in, let’s call it a sensitive way, that is appropriate at helping the physician understand better why you’re pushing back. That will make it an easier interaction.
